TL;DR
Nibble is a new systems programming language written in C that demonstrates LLVM IR generation without external dependencies. It includes graphical demos and supports features like recursion, pointers, and type checking. Its development highlights new approaches to compiler design and LLVM integration.
A developer has introduced Nibble, a C-like systems programming language designed to generate LLVM IR without relying on external dependencies or heap allocations, aiming to demonstrate new compiler design approaches.
Nibble was developed in approximately 3,000 lines of C code, emphasizing simplicity and transparency in LLVM IR generation. It supports features such as defer statements, recursion, various data types including integers, floats, booleans, and structs, as well as pointers, function pointers, branching, loops, and type checking. Additionally, Nibble offers basic C interoperability via generic pointers.
The language includes four graphical demos, which are accessible once SDL2 and Clang are installed. These demos include two multithreaded shader-like visualizations, a red-black tree implementation, and a simple game programming setup. The demos demonstrate Nibble’s ability to handle complex graphical and data structure tasks.
The compiler processes code in a top-down, single-pass manner, allocating memory dynamically within loops by design. This approach simplifies the front-end but can lead to stack overflows during certain Clang optimizations. The developer notes that further exploration of stack save/restore techniques is planned but has not yet been implemented.
Why It Matters
This development matters because it introduces a new approach to compiler design that avoids external dependencies, potentially simplifying the development of custom languages and tools. Nibble’s ability to generate LLVM IR directly from a minimal C-like language offers insights into compiler architecture, especially for projects prioritizing simplicity and transparency. The graphical demos showcase practical applications, including graphics rendering and data structures, highlighting Nibble’s versatility and potential for educational use.
SDL2 graphics development kit
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Background
Recent years have seen increased interest in lightweight, self-contained compiler implementations that leverage LLVM for code generation. Nibble joins this trend by demonstrating how a small, C-like language can produce LLVM IR without external libraries or complex runtime dependencies. Its focus on simplicity and direct IR generation aligns with ongoing efforts to make compiler development more accessible and customizable.
The developer’s choice to implement features like defer, recursion, and pointers in a minimal codebase reflects ongoing experimentation with language design and compiler optimization. The graphical demos serve as both proof of concept and practical examples of Nibble’s capabilities, reminiscent of shader toy demos and data structure visualizations.
“Nibble compiles top down in a single pass and allocas freely, even within loops, by design. This simplified front-end design greatly improves main.c readability but causes stack overflows with lower (and sometimes even higher) clang back-end optimizations.”
— the developer
“I have been meaning to explore stacksave/stackrestore but my LLVM curiosity has more or less been satisfied, and I deem this compiler momentarily complete.”
— the developer
LLVM Techniques, Tips, and Best Practices Clang and Middle-End Libraries: Design powerful and reliable compilers using the latest libraries and tools from LLVM
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What Remains Unclear
It is not yet clear how Nibble will perform with more complex programs or under different optimization settings. The developer has not detailed plans for future features or long-term support, and the community’s adoption and feedback are still emerging.
C Programming Language, 2nd Edition
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What’s Next
The developer plans to explore stack save/restore techniques further and may release updates to improve stability and performance. Community feedback and experimentation with larger projects could influence future development directions.
multithreaded shader demos
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Key Questions
What makes Nibble different from other C-like languages?
Nibble is designed to generate LLVM IR directly from a minimal, C-like syntax without relying on external dependencies or heap allocations, emphasizing simplicity and transparency in compiler design.
What features does Nibble support?
It supports defer, recursion, various data types, structs, pointers, function pointers, branching, loops, type checking, and basic C interoperability.
How can I try out Nibble?
Install SDL2 and Clang, then run ‘make’ in the repository. Clang compiles the main.c file to produce the Nibble compiler, which can then run the graphical demos.
What are the main limitations of Nibble currently?
The compiler’s design can lead to stack overflows during certain Clang optimizations, and its future development is still uncertain pending community feedback and further exploration of optimization techniques.
