Missing features of programming languages

I have noticed that whenever a programming language is missing a feature, its users often tend to reimplement the feature in a way that is uglier, more complicated and more fragile, while arguing that adding the feature would make the language more complex.

Examples

Language:

C

Feature:

parametric polymorphism

Workaround:

void*, weird tricks with #include & #define
Language:

C++ & Java

Feature:

structural pattern matching

Workaround:

the “visitor pattern”
Language:

Java (old versions)

Feature:

first-class functions

Workaround:

the “strategy pattern”
Language:

Go (old versions)

Feature:

parametric polymorphism

Workaround:

interface{}, code generation
Language:

Java

Feature:

free-standing procedures

Workaround:

static classes
Language:

C & C++

Feature:

a proper module system

Workaround:

#include, header files, guards, #pragma once
Language:

Go

Feature:

enums

Workaround:

iota (no type safety)
Language:

WebAssembly

Feature:

DOM API

Workaround:

JavaScript glue code

Language:

Feature:

bit sets

Workaround:

#define STRAWBERRY (1 << 0)
#define BANANA     (1 << 1)
#define WATERMELON (1 << 2)
#define APPLE      (1 << 3)
/* no type safety */

Language:

JavaScript

Feature:

statements as expressions

Workaround:

immediately-invoked functions
Language:

C

Feature:

sum types

Workaround:

tagged unions (no type safety)
Language:

Java

Feature:

named arguments

Workaround:

“builder pattern”
Language:

C

Feature:

optional types / exceptions

Workaround:

error codes

Missing features of programming languages

Examples

Honorable mentions