ClojureStream Podcast E102 - Pedestal with hlship
May 7, 2025
Howard Lewis Ship, a seasoned Clojure developer and core maintainer of Pedestal, shares his journey from Java to Clojure while discussing the framework's evolution. He highlights major updates from recent releases and the importance of enhancing documentation for new users. The conversation also dives into the benefits of using HTTP Kit for development, challenges in maintaining backward compatibility, and the integration of new networking technologies. Furthermore, Howard introduces the innovative Sawtooth router, designed to improve routing and user experience.
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Howard's HTTP Kit Experience
- Howard used HTTP Kit in a Babashka scripting project for its lightweight async capabilities.
- Its no-dependency small codebase made it attractive versus complex Jetty dependencies.
Balance Maintenance and Compatibility
- Maintaining Pedestal requires balancing backward compatibility with improving ease of use and clarity.
- Extensive deprecation warnings help guide users safely during transitions without breaking existing systems.
Flexible HTTP Server Choices
- Investigating alternative HTTP servers like Netty and Java's built-in server could lead to performance gains.
- Pedestal aims to make the choice of the underlying network server a simple, one-line change for flexibility.