Runtime Library

The runtime library provides basic support code to implement several language features within the language itself instead of within the compiler. This allows the compiler code to stay relatively simple an to focus on implementing a small but expressive language core.

Every module, except for the core modules themselves will automatically have an implicit private import of the core module generated by the compiler, so that all symbols made available by the core module are automatically available and are considered part of the language itself.

Note that the language runtime is a very thin layer with no external dependencies. It does not have any external dependencies, such as to the system's C standard library or to a threading library. Any such system dependent functionality is part of the standard library instead.

Modules

The runtime is split up into the following modules:

• core: The core module imported into all source files that makes all other code modules available
• core.abort: Provides the abort() function
• core.array: Defines the ArraySlice and Span types used to implement array slices (T[]) and arrays (T[size_t])
• core.associativearray: Defines AssociativeArray type used to implement associative arrays (T[U])
• core.attributes: Defines the core language attributes (e.g. @error)
• core.enums: Defines the Enum and TypedEnum structs used to implement enum types
• core.error: Defines the ErrorReturn type that is returned from @error annotated functions
• core.intrinsics: Makes compiler generated intrinsic functions available
• core.lifetime: Unsafe low-level functions for initializing and destroying values in untyped memory
• core.operators: Defines all operators available for working with built-in types
• core.option: Defines the Option type used to implement optional values
• core.range: Defines the interfaces for ranges
• core.traits: Provides functions for querying type traits
• core.types: Declares a number of additional standard types