To use Python/Java you have to download and install an OS. (Though some versions might run on bare metal)

Is your issue something with the runtime itself, or just the difficulty of installing it?

I think the issue is "I have to install two things instead of one thing" which is a pretty weird way to judge a programming language.

I guess we know how he feels about TypeScript.

Here's what you need for Java:

Download SDKMan/Jenv

Install the version(s) of Java you need for your projects

Make sure your JAVA_HOME environment variable is set

Ensure your IDEs locate the correct Java home

Compared to all that, Elixir's two installers are trivial.

And if you have a competent package manager, you can just tell it to get Elixir and it'll handle Erlang for free.

No you don't. The process is exactly the same for Java.

Nah, I work on a team that has multiple microservices written over the years in different versions of Java. "Just click the installer" is not sufficient. That's why programs like jenv, SDKman, nvm, and others even exist (and are popular). Your lack of real-world experience is showing.

LOL LaCk oF eXpErIeNcE. Bro all you have to do is open intellij and it will prompt you to install the correct version of Java.

Don't tell OP this - he doesn't want to install multiple things. You'll scare him away from Java.

Java is ugly anyway

If you're going to try and use this analogy, you need to compare Elixir to Kotlin or Scala or Clojure rather than Java. Elixir is a language written for the BEAM which was created for Erlang. The BEAM happened to be useful VM for these other languages such as Elixir, Gleam, LFE, & Luerl.

No, I don't. I'm not writing gleam etc for the same reasons.

If you don't want to then fair enough :) that said if your problem is just installation, some of the gleam people realized it can be tricky and made a nice guide for various operating systems and package managers: https://gleam.run/install/

Note this includes installing erlang as well

While it is multiple steps, the frustration is a much more one time thing compared to the problems and frustrations you'd have using a language or its ecosystem for a long time or big project

For Java you need a JRE and JDK depending on whether you're just running or also building. That they are bundled (for Windows) is slightly convenient, but they're not bundled on Linux so what you're saying is OS dependent

JRE or JDK, not "and". The JDK is a superset of the JRE.

Thank you, appreciate the correction

> Download and run the Erlang installer Download and run the Elixir installer

No, you just install the elixir package from a package manager. Windows not including a proper one by default is not a fault of the language.