kestrel

Simple and safe.

Todo Roadmap

• Add C-style enums (by 8/18/23)

  Add: enum keyword, enum variant instantiation with :: operator.

• Add match keyword (by 8/21/23)

  Add: match keyword, use phi values.

  MIR effect: Will require permutations to prove invariants.

• Add Rust-style enums (by 8/24/23)

  Add: enum instantiation really instantiates a struct containing the value and the discriminant, update match keyword

• Add String type (by 8/26/23)

  Add: String type.

• Add std::io::print type (by 8/28/23)

  Add: std::io::print builtin function.

• Allow fn to take references (by 9/2/23)

  Update: fn parameter list.

  Mir effect: Will require lifetime checks for functions.

Syntax Highlighting

Kestrel has a syntax highlighting theme for VSCode! To install:

1. cd kestrel-syntax
2. make install
3. Restart VSCode

Features

• Ahead of time compilation - Kestrel is compiled ahead of time (AOT), instead of being interpreted or JIT compiled. AOT compilation allows Kestrel to catch entire classes of runtime errors, vastly improving the developer experience.

• Statically typed - Kestrel resolves types at compile time, resulting in immediate warnings and feedback.

• Performance - AOT compilation means that Kestrel programs are compiled directly to machine code, allowing programs to be executed on any target platform natively, with blazing fast performance.

• Helpful compiler - Descriptive and detailed error messages improve the debugging experience.

• Borrow checker - Ensures that invariants which prevent many types of memory errors by converting Kestrel code into Kestrel MIR.