So does ART, and RT does something very similar, too:
For me, it has been a liberating experience: at least with darktable’s early process, applying the base-curve near the start of the pipeline, I always struggled with blown highlights.
If you are referring to darktable’s interface, and sometimes very complicated modules, then yes, it takes some getting used to; but some of RT’s modules are not ‘intuitive’, either (at least, not to me). And you can also use darktable in display-referred mode, it’s an option in the preferences.
I’m happy to see RT being actively developed, and also find ART’s pace of development absolutely stunning.