go had a similar early trajectory where c++ programmers rejected it due to the gc. it gained traction among python/ruby/javascript programmers who appreciated the speed boost and being able to ship a single static binary.
Its not the GC, its that D has no direction. Its kitchen sink of features and the optionality just fragments the ecosystem (betterC, gc) etc, making reusing code hard.
Re:D Programming Language
by thezipcreator on Friday February 13, 2026 @05:15AM
(#47001070)
this is the main issue I think with D, yeah.
regarding kitchen-sink-ness it's at least nowhere near as bad as C++, but that bar is basically below the ground anyway so it's not much to write home about.
This is perfectly fair.
> D was in the perfect spot to fill if it did not make the GC decision
I just find it hard to believe that the GC is the one big wart that pushed everyone away from the language. To me, the GC combined with the full power of a systems language are the killer features that made me stick to D. The language is not perfect and has bad parts too, but I really don't see the GC as one of them.