Where Zeno stands

Done

18 stages, each with a walkthrough. Every test program is run on all four engines and must print the same.

1. LexerSource text becomes tokens.
2. ParserTokens become a syntax tree.
3. Interpreterzeno run walks the syntax tree.
4. Type checkerGradual types: checked where written, worked out where left out.
5. Compile to CThe whole language, as portable C.
6. Garbage collectorA small mark-and-sweep collector in the compiled program.
7. Errors as values--firmware: no setjmp, every caller tests.
8. Owned values and borrowsFreed at a line you can point to.
9. No collector--no-collector leaves the collector out.
10. Bytecode VMzeno run --vm, two to three times as fast.
11. LLVM backendzeno build --llvm, with every flag.
12. Board and timePins, sleep and now, on a simulated board.
13. Sized numbersu8 to i32 and the bit operators.
14. Genericsclass Stack[T], one compiled copy per type.
15. A fixed memory poolNo malloc in a firmware build.
16. Kept textText that is built and kept, with no collector.
17. Statement-owned valuesA list nobody keeps is freed by its statement.
18. One ownerWhoever receives a value owns it, with no collector.

Coming

In order. The syntax may still change before a first release.

• In progressEnums with data, and values that may be none, with no collectorStored in place, sized to the largest case.
• In progressFunctions that capture variables, with no collectorAnd errors that are kept or raised again.
• NextManual memoryunsafe { } with raw pointers, alloc and free, and memory-mapped registers.
• NextAn audit for clarityEvery part of the language checked against one rule: unambiguous and intuitive.
• PlannedStandard libraryFiles, text and collections.
• PlannedModulesPrograms across many files.
• PlannedPackage managerShare and reuse code.
• PlannedEditor supportA formatter and a language server.
• PlannedC interopCall C libraries, and be called from C.
• PlannedWebAssemblyZeno in the browser.
• Plannedasync and awaitServers and networking.