Gleam: The Rising Star of Functional Programming in 2026

In the ever-evolving landscape of programming languages, Gleam has emerged as a compelling contender, blending the best of functional programming with modern development needs. Launched as a statically typed language, Gleam is designed to run on the Erlang Virtual Machine (BEAM), the same platform that powers Elixir and Erlang. However, what sets Gleam apart is its Rust-inspired safety guarantees and seamless JavaScript interoperability, making it a versatile choice for developers across industries.

As of 2026, Gleam’s adoption is accelerating, with its first stable release in 2024 and subsequent updates like Gleam 1.10 refining its compiler and JavaScript code generation. This article explores why Gleam is gaining traction, its key features, and how it stacks up against established languages like Rust and Elixir.

Gleam was created to address a fundamental gap in the functional programming ecosystem: a language that is both safe and accessible. Unlike dynamically typed languages like Python or JavaScript, Gleam enforces static typing, reducing runtime errors and improving code reliability. Yet, it avoids the verbosity of languages like Java or C++, offering a concise and expressive syntax.

Gleam’s design philosophy is rooted in pragmatism. It avoids the complexity of languages like Haskell while retaining their functional purity. This makes it an attractive option for developers who want safety without sacrificing productivity.

To understand Gleam’s potential, it’s essential to compare it with other languages in its domain. Below is a comparison with Rust, Elixir, and TypeScript, three languages that share overlapping use cases with Gleam.

1. Safety Without Complexity: Rust is renowned for its memory safety, but its steep learning curve can be a barrier. Gleam offers similar safety guarantees with a more approachable syntax.

2. BEAM’s Concurrency: While TypeScript excels in frontend development, it lacks the scalability and fault-tolerance of BEAM-based languages. Gleam inherits these benefits while adding static typing.

3. JavaScript Ecosystem: Unlike Elixir, which is primarily backend-focused, Gleam can compile to JavaScript, making it a viable option for full-stack development.

Gleam’s ecosystem is still in its early stages, but it’s growing rapidly. Here are some key developments:

• Stable Release: Gleam reached its 1.0 milestone in March 2024, signaling maturity and stability for production use.
• JavaScript Support: The Gleam 1.10 update improved JavaScript code generation, making it easier to integrate with existing web projects.
• Community Growth: Platforms like Codecrafters (trusted by developers from Google, GitHub, and Microsoft) are incorporating Gleam into their upskilling programs, indicating rising interest.
• Enterprise Adoption: While not yet as widespread as Rust or Elixir, Gleam is being explored by companies looking for a safe, functional alternative to JavaScript or Python.

1. Web3 and Blockchain: Gleam’s compatibility with BEAM makes it a strong candidate for smart contract development, similar to how Aiken is being used on the Cardano blockchain.

2. Full-Stack Development: With JavaScript interoperability, Gleam can be used for both frontend and backend development, reducing the need for context-switching between languages.

3. Data Processing: Its functional paradigm and static typing make Gleam ideal for data pipelines and AI workloads, where correctness and performance are critical.

Despite its promise, Gleam faces several challenges:

• Small Community: Compared to Rust or TypeScript, Gleam’s community is still relatively small, which can limit resources and third-party libraries.
• Tooling Maturity: While improving, Gleam’s tooling (e.g., IDE support, debugging tools) is not as robust as that of more established languages.
• Adoption Barriers: Developers accustomed to dynamic languages may find Gleam’s static typing restrictive, while Rust developers might prefer its performance optimizations.

However, these challenges are typical for a language in its growth phase. As Gleam’s ecosystem matures, many of these limitations are likely to be addressed.

Looking ahead, Gleam’s trajectory appears promising. Here are some trends to watch:

1. Increased Enterprise Adoption: As companies prioritize safety and maintainability, Gleam’s static typing and functional paradigm could make it a preferred choice for large-scale applications.

2. WebAssembly (WASM) Support: If Gleam gains WASM support, it could become a game-changer for high-performance web applications, competing with Rust and Go.

3. Integration with AI/ML: Gleam’s functional nature aligns well with data science and AI workflows, potentially positioning it as a language of choice for next-generation AI tools.

4. Broader Industry Recognition: With features in publications like Analytics India Magazine and InfoWorld, Gleam is gaining visibility. As more developers experiment with it, its adoption is likely to accelerate.

Gleam is not just another programming language—it’s a thoughtful fusion of safety, concurrency, and interoperability. While it may not dethrone Rust or TypeScript overnight, its unique value proposition makes it a strong contender in the functional programming space. For developers seeking a modern, safe, and versatile language, Gleam is undoubtedly worth exploring.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, languages like Gleam that prioritize correctness, performance, and developer experience will play a crucial role in shaping the future of software development. Whether you’re building the next generation of web apps, distributed systems, or blockchain solutions, Gleam offers a compelling toolkit to bring your vision to life.

Gleam runs on the BEAM virtual machine, which is optimized for concurrency and fault-tolerance rather than raw performance. While Rust excels in low-level systems programming, Gleam is better suited for scalable, distributed applications where safety and maintainability are prioritized over micro-optimizations.

Yes! Gleam can compile to JavaScript, making it a viable option for frontend development. This allows developers to use the same language for both backend (BEAM) and frontend (JS) code, streamlining full-stack development.

• Official Gleam Documentation: gleam.run
• Codecrafters: Offers hands-on Gleam courses trusted by industry professionals.
• Community Forums: The Gleam Discord and GitHub repositories are great places to ask questions and collaborate with other developers.

Gleam represents a paradigm shift in how we approach functional programming—not as an academic exercise, but as a practical tool for modern development. Its ability to bridge the gap between safety and accessibility could redefine how we build scalable, maintainable systems in the coming decade. As the language matures, expect Gleam to become a cornerstone of next-generation software engineering, particularly in domains where correctness and concurrency are non-negotiable.