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XL Compiler Bootstrapped

Posted by Cliff on from the major-milestones-surpassed dept.

descubes inputs: "An XL compiler bootstrapped two days ago (that means it compiled itself). Take a look at the project homepage to discover this language, designed around concept programming ideas, which is a sort of cross between C++, Lisp and XML. Much help is now needed to improve this rudimentary first iteration." One thing to note is that the C++ version of the compiler came in at 4500 lines, while the XL equivalent came in at some 2700 lines. This seems to imply that XL may be easier to work in than C/C++. Might XL someday be nudging the old workhouse out of a job in the near future?

1 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Re:4500 vs. 2700? by joto · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Its a big mistake to confuse number of lines with a "better" language.

    I would tend to disagree. There have been many studies that show that the same programmer will on average produce approximately the same number of codes in any given language. A language that offers better abstraction, will therefore give higher programmer efficiency.

    To me, "better" means to more readable, more maintainable, compiles to better object core, etc, etc. Who cares how many lines it needs?

    True, there are other considerations. Python will usually make you more efficient than, say C++. But well-crafted C++ code is likely to run faster. The holy grail is good abstractions, easy (but safe) low-level access, small run-time, and fast code. I wouldn't be surprised if concept programming was a step in the right direction.