Currently you can deal with strictness using Bang Patterns. The addition of Strict and StrictData with -XStrict simply lets module writers cut down on that noise and communicates intent. It isn&#x27;t meant to change or split <i>the language Haskell</i> in two; except for testing, you probably wouldn&#x27;t go enabling it everywhere just &#x27;cause.<p>More info on strictness and Bang Patterns: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;wiki.haskell.org&#x2F;Performance&#x2F;Strictness#Explicit_strictness" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;wiki.haskell.org&#x2F;Performance&#x2F;Strictness#Explicit_str...</a><p>This was posted to r&#x2F;haskell today and helps explain things a bit: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blog.johantibell.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;11&#x2F;the-design-of-strict-haskell-pragma.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blog.johantibell.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;11&#x2F;the-design-of-strict-has...</a>