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Viability of implementing compiler for new platform
Wed, 2011-04-20, 22:36
Together with a couple colleagues who have implemented compilers for the Flash Platform, we're embarquing, or at very least enquiring, to port Scala to ActionScript bytecode (ABC). My notion is to follow the template of [Java/MSIL]Platform.scala and migrate any dependencies e.g./esp. java.lang in Platform.scala and Predef.scala. Another major issue would be linking for interoperability. With rumours whirring of .NET compatibility returning I suspect affordances are already being made to abstract both issues across platforms? We already have the Haxe compiler to transform its AST to ABC, so we may delegate to that representation as an intermediary step. The hx compiler already mitigates issues like generics and a contact at Adobe has a couple promising solutions for threading.
My questions are:
Thanks all,~toland
My questions are:
- Is this the right list?
- What other concerns ought I consider regarding viability?
- Where else ought I focus in the compiler ought I focus for inspiration?
Thanks all,~toland
Thu, 2011-04-28, 16:07
#2
Re: Aw: Viability of implementing compiler for new platform
Miguel your papers are a wealth of compiler documentation!Hi,
Flash has never bootstrapped so just cross-compilation.A useful distinction is perhaps whether "just" cross-compilation, or full-bootstrapping of the compiler is wanted.
Adobe developed a back end from LLVM to ABC. We'll investigate gluing the two together.Examples of the former are Scala+LLVM [1] and ScalaCL.
Reading about jdk2ikvm I keep wondering were there discussion about nominalizing JDK dependencies such that Scala would host traits for Strings, Exceptions, Threads, and such that proxy to platform versions? It's probably a bit naive having read about some of your mappings. What do you think could prevent Scala.NET (and cross-compilers) from wide acceptance through future iterations?In general, developing a new backend has been one of the first tasks addressed by the projects above. I’ve collected some ideas on how to optimize that effort [5].
I'll be there :-)Please notice that the author of Scala+LLVM will present his work at the upcoming ScalaDays http://days2011.scala-lang.org/ (more precisely, at the 2nd Scala Workshop [6]). Perhaps that’s a good place to find others interested in this kind of compiler hacking stuff :-)
Thanks!Miguel
Thu, 2011-04-28, 22:07
#3
Aw: Re: Aw: Viability of implementing compiler for new platform
toland,
Great that you'll be attending ScalaDays.
Regarding having Scala-library versions of common abstractions across platforms (JDK, .NET) that's certainly on the agenda, but I guess a precondition is for Scala.NET to reach feature-parity with its big brother. Getting closer, but not yet there. First and foremost on the roadmap is making the most of CLR Generics without getting burnt in the attempt. After that, bigger strides will follow quickly.
Miguel http://lamp.epfl.ch/~magarcia/ScalaNET
Hi,
There’s no one-stop source of information on all things "re-targeting the Scala compiler" so what follows are just some pointers.
A useful distinction is perhaps whether "just" cross-compilation, or full-bootstrapping of the compiler is wanted. Examples of the former are Scala+LLVM [1] and ScalaCL. The other re-targeting effort I’m aware of is ScalaGWT [3], I guess it also aims in the long run for bootstrapping capability. Scala.NET already bootstraps [4], and I’m focusing now on completing support for Generics.
In general, developing a new backend has been one of the first tasks addressed by the projects above. I’ve collected some ideas on how to optimize that effort [5].
Please notice that the author of Scala+LLVM will present his work at the upcoming ScalaDays http://days2011.scala-lang.org/ (more precisely, at the 2nd Scala Workshop [6]). Perhaps that’s a good place to find others interested in this kind of compiler hacking stuff :-)
Miguel
http://lamp.epfl.ch/~magarcia/ScalaNET/
References
[1] http://greedy.github.com/scala/
[2] http://code.google.com/p/scalacl/
[3] http://twitter.com/#!/scalagwt
[4] http://lamp.epfl.ch/~magarcia/ScalaNET/2011Q2/BootstrapDIY.pdf
[5] http://lamp.epfl.ch/~magarcia/ScalaNET/slides/2011-02-22-ASTLowerings.pdf
[6] http://days2011.scala-lang.org/node/92