Minits

Typescript with LLVM backend.

Installing minits on Linux or macOS

First of all, you need install LLVM, See https://llvm.org/docs/GettingStarted.html. But if you are using Ubuntu or other distributions, using the built-in package management tool is a more convenient option like:

$ apt install -y llvm

Then install minits:

$ git clone https://github.com/cryptape/minits
$ npm install
$ npm run build

Writing and Compiling a TypeScript Program

Filename: main.ts

function main(): number {
    console.log("Hello World!");
    return 0;
}

Save the file and open your terminal:

$ node build/main/index.js build main.ts -o main.ll
$ clang main.ll -o main
$ ./main

Analysis for a minits Program: Brainfuck

minits is a completely static language, similar to clang or rust, function main() is the entry point to every executable minits program. It receives(optional) 2 parameters argc: number and argv: string[], and returns the exit code. So you can also write it as function main(argc: number, argv: string[]): number.

We suggest you read the source code under ./examples. Let's hava a look at ./examples/brainfuck.ts. Brainfuck is an esoteric programming language created in 1993 by Urban Müller, and is notable for its extreme minimalism. We wrote a brainfuck interpreter by minits. Compile this interpreter by

$ node build/main/index.js build examples/brainfuck.ts -o brainfuck.ll
$ clang brainfuck.ll -o brainfuck

And then execute a piece of code that generates Sierpinski Triangle:

$ ./brainfuck ">++++[<++++++++>-]>++++++++[>++++<-]>>++>>>+>>>+<<<<<<<<<<[-[->+<]>[-<+>>>.<<]>>>[[->++++++++[>++++<-]>.<<[->+<]+>[->++++++++++<<+>]>.[-]>]]+<<<[-[->+<]+>[-<+>>>-[->+<]++>[-<->]<<<]<<<<]++++++++++.+++.[-]<]+++++"

Most ts syntax is available at now, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Project status

We plan to implement the following syntax:

Types

• Primitive Types
  • number(support signed 64): 0x10, 12
  • boolean: true, false
  • string: "Hello"
  • void
  • null
  • * undefined
  • enum: enum { a = 1, b, c }
• Object
  • Array
  • Tuple

Expression

• Assignment: let a: number = 1;, let a: number[] = [1, 2, 3]
• Parentheses
• Function Expressions
• Arrow Functions
• * Class Expressions
• Function Calls
• ++ / --
• + / - / ~
• !
• * typeof
• +: number + number, string + string, eg.
• *, /, %, –, <<, >>, >>>, &, ^, and | operators
• <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, ===, and !== operators
• * in
• && and ||
• The Conditional Operator: test ? expr1 : expr2
• *=, /=, %=, +=, -=, <<=, >>=, >>>=, &=, ^=, |=
• Destructuring Assignment: [x, y] = [y, x];

Statements

• Block
• Variable Statements
• Let and Const Declarations
• If, Do, and While Statements
• For Statements
• For-In Statements
• For-Of Statements
• Continue Statements
• Break Statements
• Return Statements
• With Statements
• Switch Statements
• Throw Statements
• * Try Statements

Function

• Function Declarations
• Function Implementations

Interfaces

TODO

Class

• Class Declarations
• New class

Build in functions

• See: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/javascript/javascript_builtin_functions.htm

Licences

MIT