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Faster interpreters in Go: Catching up with C++

Posted: 2025-04-05 17:59:55

PlanetScale's Vitess project, which uses a Go-based MySQL interpreter, historically lagged behind C++ in performance. Through focused optimization efforts targeting function call overhead, memory allocation, and string conversion, they significantly improved Vitess's speed. By leveraging Go's built-in profiling tools and making targeted changes like using custom map implementations and byte buffers, they achieved performance comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, a similar C++ interpreter. These improvements demonstrate that with careful optimization, Go can be a competitive choice for performance-sensitive applications like database interpreters.

This PlanetScale blog post explores the performance evolution of their Vitess database's VTAdmin tool, specifically focusing on its migration from C++ to Go. Initially, the Go version of VTAdmin was significantly slower than its C++ counterpart, leading to concerns about Go's suitability for performance-sensitive applications like database tooling. The blog post meticulously details the journey of optimizing the Go implementation to eventually match and even surpass the C++ version's performance in certain scenarios.

The authors begin by outlining the challenges faced during the initial port to Go. They emphasize that a straightforward translation of the C++ code resulted in a substantially slower Go program. They attribute this performance gap to several factors, including Go's garbage collection, its handling of strings (which are immutable in Go, unlike C++), and differences in data structures and memory management.

The optimization process is broken down into several key stages. First, they profiled the Go code extensively to identify performance bottlenecks. Profiling tools like pprof played a crucial role in pinpointing areas requiring attention. One of the major culprits was excessive string allocations and conversions, stemming from the frequent manipulation of string data within VTAdmin.

To address the string issues, the authors explored various strategies, including using byte slices ([]byte) instead of strings where possible, pre-allocating buffers to minimize allocations during string manipulation, and carefully managing string conversions between Go and C++ libraries. These targeted optimizations resulted in significant performance improvements.

Furthermore, the authors investigated the impact of Go's garbage collector. While recognizing that Go's garbage collection offers benefits in terms of developer productivity and memory safety, they also acknowledged its potential to introduce performance overhead. Through careful analysis and tuning, they managed to minimize the impact of garbage collection on VTAdmin's performance.

Another area of focus was optimizing interactions with underlying C++ libraries. VTAdmin relies on certain C++ components, and the communication between the Go code and these libraries was initially a source of inefficiency. By streamlining these interactions and minimizing data copying across the language boundary, the authors achieved further performance gains.

Finally, the blog post presents benchmark results comparing the optimized Go version of VTAdmin against the original C++ implementation. These results demonstrate that the Go version has not only caught up with but, in some cases, even outperformed the C++ version, particularly in scenarios involving high concurrency. The authors conclude that Go, when used judiciously and optimized effectively, can be a viable choice for building high-performance applications, even in demanding domains like database administration. They highlight the importance of profiling, understanding Go's runtime characteristics, and strategically managing memory allocations and string operations for achieving optimal performance. They also emphasize that the performance characteristics of Go are continuously evolving, and future improvements to the language and its runtime could further enhance the performance of Go applications like VTAdmin.

Summary of Comments ( 42 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43595283

Hacker News users discussed the benchmarks presented in the PlanetScale blog post, expressing skepticism about their real-world applicability. Several commenters pointed out that the microbenchmarks might not reflect typical database workload performance, and questioned the choice of C++ implementation used for comparison. Some suggested that the Go interpreter's performance improvements, while impressive, might not translate to significant gains in a production environment. Others highlighted the importance of considering factors beyond raw execution speed, such as memory usage and garbage collection overhead. The lack of details about the specific benchmarks and the C++ implementation used made it difficult for some to fully assess the validity of the claims. A few commenters praised the progress Go has made, but emphasized the need for more comprehensive and realistic benchmarks to accurately compare interpreter performance.

The Hacker News post titled "Faster interpreters in Go: Catching up with C++" (linking to a PlanetScale blog post about optimizing their Vitess database's VTGate component) generated a moderate amount of discussion, with a number of commenters focusing on the nuances of benchmarking and optimization in Go and C++.

Several commenters expressed skepticism about the methodology used in the benchmarks presented in the blog post. One commenter questioned whether the benchmarks accurately reflected real-world usage, pointing out that microbenchmarks often don't translate to performance gains in production systems. Another highlighted the importance of considering the specific workload when evaluating performance, suggesting that different workloads might yield different results. There was a general sentiment that while the demonstrated performance improvements were impressive, more context was needed to fully understand their implications.

The discussion also touched upon the complexities of garbage collection in Go and its impact on performance. One commenter noted that Go's garbage collector can introduce variability in benchmark results, making it challenging to obtain consistent measurements. Another discussed the trade-offs between performance and ease of development when using Go, acknowledging that while Go might not always match C++ in raw speed, its developer-friendly features can often outweigh the performance difference.

Some commenters shared their own experiences with optimizing Go code, offering insights into techniques for improving performance. One suggested using profiling tools to identify bottlenecks and focusing optimization efforts on the most critical sections of code. Another mentioned the importance of careful memory management in Go to minimize the overhead of the garbage collector.

A few commenters also delved into the technical details of the optimizations described in the blog post, discussing the benefits of using techniques like code generation and avoiding unnecessary allocations. They pointed out that while these optimizations can be effective, they can also increase code complexity and make it harder to maintain.

Finally, some comments shifted the focus from performance to other aspects of software development, such as code readability and maintainability. One commenter argued that while performance is important, it shouldn't come at the cost of code clarity and maintainability. Another suggested that choosing the right tool for the job is crucial and that Go's advantages in terms of developer productivity can often outweigh its potential performance limitations compared to C++.

In summary, the comments on the Hacker News post offer a range of perspectives on the topic of Go performance optimization, highlighting the importance of careful benchmarking, considering real-world workloads, and balancing performance with other software development considerations. While the blog post itself focuses on specific optimizations in a particular project, the comments broaden the discussion to encompass broader themes related to performance, optimization strategies, and the trade-offs between performance and other software development goals.

MilliForth-6502: The smallest Forth real programming language for 6502

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Posted: 2025-03-28 11:04:40

MilliForth-6502 is a minimalist Forth implementation for the 6502 processor, designed to be incredibly small while remaining a practical programming language. It features a 1 KB dictionary, a 256-byte parameter stack, and implements core Forth words including arithmetic, logic, stack manipulation, and I/O. Despite its size, MilliForth allows for defining new words and includes a simple interactive interpreter. Its compactness makes it suitable for resource-constrained 6502 systems, and the project provides source code and documentation for building and using it.

MilliForth-6502 is presented as an incredibly compact implementation of the Forth programming language, specifically designed for the 6502 microprocessor, a popular 8-bit processor used in systems like the Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit computers. The project's primary goal is to create a functional Forth system within an extremely limited memory footprint, aiming for a size under 1 kilobyte. This makes it suitable for resource-constrained environments or as a foundational layer for building more complex software on 6502-based platforms.

The core features of a traditional Forth system are retained, including a dictionary (a symbol table that maps words to their corresponding code), an interpreter for executing Forth words, and a compiler for defining new words. MilliForth-6502 utilizes a threaded interpretation model, where each word's definition consists of a sequence of pointers to other words, creating an efficient execution flow.

The system provides a minimal set of primitive words, allowing for basic arithmetic, logical operations, stack manipulation, memory access, and input/output functions. These primitives serve as the building blocks for creating more complex words and programs through Forth's unique approach to programming, which relies heavily on combining smaller, defined words into larger, more specialized words.

A key aspect of MilliForth-6502's design is its simplicity. The code is meticulously crafted to minimize its size while maintaining functionality. This minimalistic approach is not just about conserving memory but also about providing a clear and understandable implementation of Forth, making it a valuable resource for learning or exploring the inner workings of both Forth and the 6502 architecture. The source code is provided for users to examine, modify, and adapt to their specific needs.

While complete, MilliForth-6502 acknowledges its own limited nature. It is a foundational system designed for expansion. Users are expected to build upon the core functionalities and extend the vocabulary with custom words tailored to their particular applications. It provides a compact and robust basis for further Forth development on the 6502 platform.

Summary of Comments ( 2 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43503897

Hacker News users discussed the practicality and minimalism of MilliForth, a Forth implementation for the 6502 processor. Some questioned its usefulness beyond educational purposes, citing limited memory and awkward programming style compared to assembly language. Others appreciated its cleverness and the challenge of creating such a compact system, viewing it as a testament to Forth's flexibility. Several comments highlighted the historical context of Forth on resource-constrained systems and drew parallels to other small language implementations. The maintainability of generated code and the debugging experience were also mentioned as potential drawbacks. A few commenters expressed interest in exploring MilliForth further and potentially using it for small embedded projects.

The Hacker News post for MilliForth-6502 has a modest number of comments, focusing primarily on its size, speed, and potential applications.

Several commenters express fascination with the extreme minimalism of MilliForth, marveling at how a functional Forth system can be implemented in such a small footprint. They discuss the challenges and ingenuity involved in fitting a complete language within such tight constraints. Some commenters delve into the technical details of its implementation, analyzing how certain features are achieved with limited resources.

A recurring theme is comparing MilliForth to other small language implementations, particularly FORTHs and BASICs on similar hardware. Commenters share anecdotes and experiences with historical systems, highlighting the tradeoffs between size, speed, and functionality. Some discuss how MilliForth's size compares favorably to other FORTHs on the 6502, while acknowledging that its minimalist nature may impact usability for larger projects.

The speed of MilliForth is also a point of discussion. Some commenters question its performance relative to other FORTHs and even assembly language, wondering if the extreme size optimization comes at the cost of execution speed. Others express interest in benchmarking MilliForth against similar systems to quantify its performance characteristics.

Regarding applications, some commenters speculate on potential uses for such a small FORTH, suggesting embedded systems, retrocomputing projects, and educational purposes as possible areas where MilliForth could be valuable. The idea of fitting a complete language within the limited memory of older hardware is particularly appealing to retrocomputing enthusiasts. One commenter mentions using a similar small FORTH on an Apple II, demonstrating the practicality of such systems.

Finally, a few comments focus on the readability and maintainability of the code. Due to its highly optimized nature, some commenters acknowledge that MilliForth might be challenging to understand and modify. However, the overall sentiment leans towards appreciation for the technical achievement, even if the code itself is not intended for extensive modification.

Autology: A Lisp with access to its own interpreter

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Posted: 2025-03-21 10:37:16

Autology is a Lisp dialect designed for self-modifying code and introspection. It exposes its own interpreter and data structures, allowing programs to analyze and manipulate their own source code, execution state, and even the interpreter itself during runtime. This capability enables dynamic code generation, on-the-fly modifications, and powerful metaprogramming techniques. It aims to provide a flexible environment for exploring novel programming paradigms and building self-aware, adaptive systems.

The GitHub repository titled "Autology: A Lisp with access to its own interpreter" introduces a novel Lisp dialect designed with a core principle of self-reflection, enabling the language to introspect and manipulate its own internal workings. This self-referential capability, a form of metacircularity, is achieved by granting Autology direct access to its own interpreter's state and functions. This means Autology programs can analyze and modify their own code, execution environment, and even the interpreter itself during runtime.

The implementation, written in Raku (formerly known as Perl 6), focuses on providing a minimalistic core language featuring typical Lisp constructs like s-expressions, symbols, lists, and basic arithmetic operations. However, the key distinguishing feature, as highlighted in the title, is the exposure of the interpreter's internal functions as first-class citizens within the language. This empowers Autology programs to perform actions such as: inspecting the current execution environment, manipulating the abstract syntax tree (AST) of the code being executed, dynamically redefining functions, and even altering the behavior of the interpreter itself.

The README provides examples demonstrating this self-modifying capability. One such example showcases how a user-defined function can access and modify the interpreter's environment, effectively allowing the program to rewrite itself on the fly. This dynamism opens possibilities for unique programming paradigms and allows for a high degree of flexibility and introspection not typically found in traditional Lisp dialects. While the project is still in its early stages of development, it offers a compelling exploration of the concept of a language having direct access to its own interpreter, potentially opening up new avenues for metaprogramming, code generation, and runtime adaptation. The Raku implementation further contributes to the project's novelty by leveraging Raku's expressiveness and modern features in constructing this unconventional Lisp interpreter.

Summary of Comments ( 28 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43434010

HN users generally expressed interest in Autology, a Lisp dialect with access to its own interpreter. Several commenters compared it favorably to Rebol in terms of metaprogramming capabilities. Some discussion focused on its potential use cases, including live coding and creating interactive development environments. Concerns were raised regarding its apparent early stage of development, the lack of documentation beyond the README, and the potential performance implications of its design. A few users questioned the practicality of such a language, while others were excited by the possibilities it presented for self-modifying code and advanced debugging tools. The reliance on Python for its implementation also sparked some debate.

The Hacker News post titled "Autology: A Lisp with access to its own interpreter" sparked a discussion with several interesting comments. Here's a summary:

Reflection and introspection capabilities: Several commenters focused on the power and potential of Autology's ability to access its own interpreter. They highlighted how this feature allows for powerful metaprogramming, enabling the language to modify and extend itself in dynamic ways. This capacity for introspection was seen as a key differentiator, enabling advanced techniques like creating new language constructs or modifying existing ones on the fly.
Comparison to other Lisps: The discussion naturally drew comparisons to other Lisp dialects, especially Common Lisp. Commenters debated the similarities and differences in their metaprogramming capabilities. Some pointed out that Common Lisp already offers significant introspection features, while others emphasized that Autology's approach, by giving direct access to the interpreter, potentially simplifies certain metaprogramming tasks.
Implementation details and performance: Some comments delved into the technical aspects of Autology's implementation. Questions were raised about how the interpreter access is managed and its potential impact on performance. Concerns about the overhead of such dynamic capabilities were also expressed.
Practical applications: While acknowledging the theoretical power of Autology's approach, some commenters questioned its practical applications. They wondered about real-world scenarios where direct access to the interpreter would be genuinely beneficial, and not just an academic curiosity. The need for concrete examples showcasing the practical advantages of this feature was highlighted.
The spirit of Lisp: Some commenters appreciated Autology for embracing the spirit of Lisp and pushing the boundaries of metaprogramming. They viewed it as a positive exploration of the potential of self-modifying code and a demonstration of the flexibility inherent in the Lisp family of languages.

One of the more compelling threads involved a discussion of the tradeoffs between powerful metaprogramming features and the potential for increased complexity and difficulty in reasoning about code. Some argued that while the ability to modify the interpreter offered incredible flexibility, it could also lead to code that is harder to understand, debug, and maintain. The discussion revolved around finding a balance between power and practicality.

Another interesting exchange focused on the differences between Autology's approach and existing metaprogramming techniques in other Lisps. This explored the nuances of manipulating the interpreter directly versus using more established mechanisms like macros. The discussion highlighted the subtle yet potentially significant distinctions between these methods and their implications for code organization and expressiveness.

A Perplexing JavaScript Parsing Puzzle

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Posted: 2025-03-12 14:46:02

Hillel Wayne presents a seemingly straightforward JavaScript code snippet involving a variable assignment within a conditional statement containing a regular expression match. The unexpected behavior arises from how JavaScript's RegExp object handles global flags. Because the global flag is enabled, subsequent calls to test() within the same regex object continue matching from the previous match's position. This leads to the conditional evaluating differently on subsequent runs, resulting in the variable assignment only happening once even though the conditional appears to be true multiple times. Effectively, the regex remembers its position between calls, causing confusion for those expecting each call to test() to start from the beginning of the string. The post highlights the subtle yet crucial difference between using a regex literal each time versus using a regex object, which retains state.

The blog post "A Perplexing JavaScript Parsing Puzzle" by Hillel Wayne presents a seemingly straightforward JavaScript code snippet that produces an unexpected and counterintuitive result due to the intricacies of JavaScript's parsing rules. The puzzle revolves around the behavior of the ++ (increment) operator when combined with optional chaining (?.) and bracket notation for property access.

Specifically, the code attempts to increment a property of an object that might not exist. It uses optional chaining to safely access the potentially missing property and then attempts to increment its value if it exists. The puzzle lies in the observed behavior differing depending on whether the property is accessed using dot notation or bracket notation.

When dot notation is employed (e.g., object?.property++), the increment operation works as seemingly intended: if the property exists, its value is incremented; if it doesn't, nothing happens. However, when bracket notation is used with a string literal key (e.g., object?.['property']++), the code throws a ReferenceError. Even more perplexing, if bracket notation is used with a variable holding the property name (e.g., let key = 'property'; object?.[key]++), the code does not throw an error, but neither does it increment the property. Instead, the value of the property remains unchanged.

Wayne meticulously dissects this behavior by delving into the complexities of the JavaScript specification, specifically the processes of parsing, evaluation, and the distinction between left-hand-side (LHS) and right-hand-side (RHS) expressions in assignments. He demonstrates how the parsing of these different syntactic constructs leads to different internal representations, which ultimately explains the divergent outcomes. The core issue arises from the way JavaScript handles assignments in conjunction with optional chaining. The optional chaining effectively short-circuits the evaluation if the base object is null or undefined. However, the increment operator requires an LHS reference to assign the incremented value. In the problematic cases, the parsing rules prevent the creation of a valid LHS reference when optional chaining is combined with bracket notation, leading to either a ReferenceError or a silently failing increment operation.

The post concludes by highlighting the non-intuitive nature of this behavior and the challenges it poses for developers, especially considering the relative newness of the optional chaining feature. It serves as a cautionary tale about the subtle yet significant impact of seemingly minor syntactic variations in JavaScript and emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying parsing rules to avoid unexpected pitfalls.

Summary of Comments ( 11 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43343832

Hacker News users discuss various aspects of the perplexing JavaScript parsing puzzle. Several commenters analyze the specific grammar rules and automatic semicolon insertion (ASI) behavior that lead to the unexpected result, highlighting the complexities of JavaScript's parsing logic. Some point out that the ++ operator binds more tightly than the optional chaining operator (?.), explaining why the increment applies to the property access result rather than the object itself. Others mention the importance of tools like ESLint and linters for catching such potential issues and suggest that relying on ASI can be problematic. A few users share personal anecdotes of encountering similar unexpected JavaScript behavior, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of these parsing quirks. One commenter suggests the puzzle demonstrates why "simple" languages can be more difficult to master than initially perceived.

The Hacker News post titled "A Perplexing JavaScript Parsing Puzzle" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43343832) has generated a robust discussion with several compelling comments exploring the nuances of JavaScript's parsing behavior.

Several commenters dive into the technicalities of the automatic semicolon insertion (ASI) rules in JavaScript, explaining how they contribute to the unexpected behavior highlighted in the linked article. They point out that ASI is not simply adding semicolons wherever they seem to fit, but follows a specific set of rules based on the grammar, leading to occasional counter-intuitive outcomes. One commenter notes that ASI is "notoriously confusing," even for experienced JavaScript developers, and emphasizes the importance of understanding these rules to avoid subtle bugs. Another commenter provides a detailed breakdown of how the JavaScript parser interprets the code snippet, showing step-by-step how ASI leads to the unintuitive result.

Some comments focus on the practical implications of such parsing quirks. One commenter highlights how these unexpected behaviors can make debugging and maintenance more difficult, especially in larger codebases. Another user suggests using a linter or code formatter to enforce consistent coding style and catch potential ASI-related issues early on. They argue that preventative tools like linters are essential for avoiding subtle bugs caused by unexpected parsing.

The discussion also touches upon the broader topic of language design. One commenter critiques the complexity of JavaScript's grammar and argues that such ambiguous parsing rules make the language more prone to errors. Another commenter offers a contrasting perspective, suggesting that while ASI might seem counterintuitive at first, it's a necessary mechanism for maintaining backward compatibility with older JavaScript code.

Several comments offer specific solutions or workarounds to avoid the problem presented in the article. These include explicitly adding semicolons, using parentheses to clarify the intended grouping of expressions, and relying on linters to detect potential ASI-related issues. One commenter even provides an alternative way to write the code snippet that avoids the problematic ASI behavior altogether.

Finally, some commenters express their surprise and amusement at the unexpected behavior demonstrated in the article, highlighting the sometimes-perplexing nature of JavaScript. One commenter remarks on how such puzzles can be a valuable learning experience, helping developers gain a deeper understanding of the language's intricacies. Another simply expresses their amazement, calling the behavior "truly bizarre." The comments collectively reveal a mix of technical analysis, practical advice, and shared bewilderment regarding JavaScript's intricate parsing rules.

Three Implementation Models for Scheme (1987) [pdf]

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Posted: 2025-03-11 13:19:29

This 1987 paper by Dybvig explores three distinct implementation models for Scheme: compilation to machine code, abstract machine interpretation, and direct interpretation of source code. It argues that while compilation offers the best performance for finished programs, the flexibility and debugging capabilities of interpreters are crucial for interactive development environments. The paper details the trade-offs between these models, emphasizing the advantages of a mixed approach that leverages both compilation and interpretation techniques. It concludes that an ideal Scheme system would utilize compilation for optimized execution and interpretation for interactive use, debugging, and dynamic code loading, hinting at a system where the boundaries between compiled and interpreted code are blurred.

This 1987 paper by Dybvig, Hieb, and Bruggeman, titled "Three Implementation Models for Scheme," explores and contrasts three distinct models for implementing Scheme interpreters and compilers, aiming to illustrate the design space and trade-offs involved. These models, each representing a different point in the spectrum of implementation strategies, are termed the "Abstract Machine Model," the "Compiler Model," and the "Control Model." The authors delve into the strengths and weaknesses of each, considering factors such as performance, portability, debugging capabilities, and ease of implementation.

The Abstract Machine Model involves defining an abstract machine specifically designed for executing Scheme code. This abstract machine is characterized by a set of instructions tailored to Scheme's semantics, and an implementation consists of a virtual machine or interpreter for these instructions, often written in a lower-level language. This model offers a relatively straightforward implementation path and facilitates portability, as the interpreter can be implemented on various platforms. However, it can introduce performance overhead compared to compiled approaches due to the interpretation layer. The paper uses the Orbit compiler as an exemplary case of this model.

The Compiler Model focuses on directly translating Scheme code into native machine code for the target architecture. This approach prioritizes execution speed and leverages existing compiler technologies. The compiler performs various optimizations to generate efficient machine code, potentially resulting in significantly faster execution than interpreted approaches. However, this model can be more complex to implement due to the intricacies of code generation and optimization. Furthermore, portability is sacrificed as the compiler needs to be tailored for each target architecture. The paper references the Rabbit compiler as an example of this model, highlighting its focus on efficient code generation.

The Control Model takes a novel approach by representing Scheme programs as data structures that can be directly manipulated and evaluated by a core interpreter. This model emphasizes flexibility and dynamic behavior, particularly for features like continuations, which are challenging to implement efficiently in other models. Scheme programs are transformed into continuation-passing style (CPS), enabling sophisticated control flow manipulations. While this model provides elegance and powerful expressiveness, it can present performance challenges due to the overhead of representing and manipulating the control structures. The paper discusses the Chez Scheme system as an embodiment of the control model, illustrating its use of CPS and its focus on supporting advanced Scheme features efficiently.

The authors meticulously dissect each model, presenting their underlying mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages. They provide insightful comparisons, emphasizing how each model addresses fundamental implementation challenges. The paper concludes by summarizing the key characteristics of each model and offering guidance on choosing the appropriate model based on specific project requirements and priorities. The overall contribution lies not in advocating for a single best approach, but rather in providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the trade-offs inherent in implementing a Scheme system, empowering developers to make informed design decisions.

Summary of Comments ( 4 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43332143

HN commenters discuss the historical significance of the paper in establishing Scheme's minimalist design and portability. They highlight the cleverness of the three implementations, particularly the threaded code interpreter, and its influence on later languages like Lua. Some note the paper's accessibility and clarity, even for those unfamiliar with Scheme, while others reminisce about using the techniques described. A few comments delve into technical details like register allocation and garbage collection, comparing the approaches to modern techniques. The overall sentiment is one of appreciation for the paper's contribution to computer science and programming language design.

The Hacker News post linking to the 1987 paper "Three Implementation Models for Scheme" has generated a moderate number of comments, mostly focusing on the historical context of the paper and its significance in understanding Scheme implementations.

One commenter highlights the paper's importance for its clear explanation of the tradeoffs between different implementation strategies for Scheme, even today. They specifically mention how the paper's discussion of the "big picture" helps in understanding modern compiler discussions about register allocation and garbage collection.

Another comment points out the historical significance of the paper being published before the standardization of Scheme, resulting in the paper using a slightly different Scheme dialect. They also mention how the paper elegantly illustrates the common trade-offs in language implementation using a relatively small language like Scheme.

Several comments discuss the efficiency of various Scheme implementations and their approaches to compilation. One user mentions Indiana University's historical connection to Scheme and its compiler technology.

One comment delves deeper into the technical aspects, discussing how the paper's approach to environment representation is less relevant today due to advancements in generational garbage collection and precise stack maps. However, they acknowledge that the register allocation techniques discussed are still relevant.

Some users also shared anecdotal experiences about learning Scheme and using different implementations, highlighting personal connections to the historical context of the paper.

A few comments briefly touch upon the broader context of language design and implementation, comparing Scheme to other languages. One commenter notes the influence of the paper's authors on later work at Sun Microsystems related to Self and Java JIT compilers.

While the number of comments isn't extensive, they offer valuable insights into the historical relevance of the paper, its technical contributions, and its influence on subsequent developments in language implementation. The discussion largely revolves around appreciating the clarity and conciseness of the paper in explaining fundamental tradeoffs that remain relevant in contemporary compiler design.

Performance of the Python 3.14 tail-call interpreter

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Posted: 2025-03-10 06:44:27

Python 3.14 introduces an experimental, limited form of tail-call optimization. While not true tail-call elimination as seen in functional languages, it optimizes specific tail calls within the same frame, significantly reducing stack frame allocation overhead and improving performance in certain scenarios like deeply recursive functions using accumulators. The optimization specifically targets calls where the last operation is a call to the same function and local variables aren't modified after the call. While promising for specific use cases, this optimization does not support mutual recursion or calls in nested functions, and it is currently hidden behind a flag. Performance benchmarks reveal substantial speed improvements, sometimes exceeding 2x, and memory usage benefits, particularly for tail-recursive functions previously prone to exceeding recursion depth limits.

Nelson Elhage's blog post, "Performance of the Python 3.14 tail-call interpreter," dives deep into the performance implications of the newly introduced tail-call optimization in CPython 3.14. Elhage meticulously examines the performance characteristics of this optimization, focusing on the specific scenarios where it yields benefits and the situations where it falls short.

The post begins by establishing the context of tail-call optimization, explaining that it targets function calls occurring at the tail position of a function – meaning the call is the very last operation performed before returning. In such cases, theoretically, the current stack frame can be reused for the called function, avoiding stack growth and enabling efficient recursion. However, CPython's implementation, due to the complexities of the interpreter and its bytecode, faces limitations.

Elhage employs rigorous benchmarking to evaluate the performance impact. He leverages a factorial function implemented recursively, both with and without tail-call optimization, serving as a prime example of a tail-recursive algorithm. The benchmarks explore varying recursion depths and compare the performance against iterative implementations. Critically, Elhage doesn't stop at simple microbenchmarks; he also incorporates more realistic scenarios involving generators and asynchronous functions to provide a holistic view.

The results reveal that tail-call optimization in CPython 3.14 does indeed offer performance gains in specific circumstances. For deep tail-recursive functions, the optimization successfully prevents stack overflows, allowing the execution to complete where it would otherwise fail. However, even with the optimization, tail recursion doesn't magically become faster than iteration. In fact, the optimized tail-recursive implementation remains notably slower than its iterative counterpart. Elhage attributes this performance gap to the inherent overhead associated with function calls in Python, an overhead that persists even with tail-call optimization.

Furthermore, the benchmarks demonstrate that the optimization yields little to no benefit in scenarios involving generators and async functions. Elhage explains this by highlighting the fact that these constructs already employ mechanisms to manage their execution state efficiently, thereby mitigating the need for tail-call optimization to prevent stack growth.

In conclusion, Elhage's analysis paints a nuanced picture of CPython 3.14's tail-call optimization. While it successfully prevents stack overflows in deep tail recursion, it doesn't make tail recursion inherently faster than iteration. The optimization's benefits are most prominent in pure tail-recursive scenarios, whereas its impact on generators and async functions is negligible. The post provides valuable insights into the practical implications of this new feature, empowering Python developers to understand its strengths and limitations.

Summary of Comments ( 111 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43317592

HN commenters largely discuss the practical limitations of Python's new tail-call optimization. While acknowledging it's a positive step, many point out that the restriction to self-recursive calls severely limits its usefulness. Some suggest this limitation stems from Python's frame introspection features, while others question the overall performance impact given the existing bytecode overhead. A few commenters express hope for broader tail-call optimization in the future, but skepticism prevails about its wide adoption due to the language's design. The discussion also touches on alternative approaches like trampolining and the cultural preference for iterative code in Python. Some users highlight specific use cases where tail-call optimization could be beneficial, such as recursive descent parsing and certain algorithm implementations, though the consensus remains that the current implementation's impact is minimal.

The Hacker News post discussing CPython 3.14's tail-call interpreter performance has a moderate number of comments, exploring various aspects of the change.

Several commenters express skepticism about the practical benefits of tail-call optimization in Python, given the language's existing idioms and the potential disruption to debugging. One commenter points out that Python's reliance on stack traces for debugging makes proper tail-call elimination problematic, potentially hindering troubleshooting. Others echo this sentiment, suggesting that full tail-call optimization might not align well with Python's design philosophy. The cost of maintaining stack information for debugging is discussed, with a suggestion that perhaps a hybrid approach, selectively applying optimization, might be more suitable.

Another thread of discussion revolves around the limitations and potential downsides of the proposed optimization. A commenter points out the restriction to self-recursive calls, arguing that true tail-call optimization should handle mutual recursion as well. The impact on stack introspection and debugging is also raised again, highlighting the challenges in preserving these features while implementing tail calls.

Some commenters discuss alternative approaches to achieving similar performance gains without relying on tail-call optimization. One suggestion involves using generators or iterators, which can provide memory-efficient looping constructs. Another commenter mentions trampolining as a potential workaround, allowing for tail-call-like behavior without altering the stack.

The performance implications of the change are also debated. While some acknowledge the potential benefits in specific scenarios, others question the overall impact on typical Python code. The benchmark presented in the original blog post is scrutinized, with some commenters suggesting it represents a contrived case and might not reflect real-world performance.

Finally, some commenters offer insights into the broader context of tail-call optimization and its relevance in different programming paradigms. The cultural shift required for Python developers to adopt tail-recursive style is discussed, with some arguing that it goes against established Python practices. The distinction between proper tail calls and merely saving a stack frame is also mentioned, highlighting the nuances of implementing tail-call optimization correctly.

Neut Programming Language

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Posted: 2025-02-24 01:12:18

Neut is a statically-typed, compiled programming language designed for building reliable and maintainable systems software. It emphasizes simplicity and explicitness through its C-like syntax, minimal built-in features, and focus on compile-time evaluation. Key features include a powerful macro system enabling metaprogramming and code generation, algebraic data types for representing data structures, and built-in support for pattern matching. Neut aims to empower developers to write efficient and predictable code by offering fine-grained control over memory management and avoiding hidden runtime behavior. Its explicit design choices and limited standard library encourage developers to build reusable components tailored to their specific needs, promoting code clarity and long-term maintainability.

The Neut programming language, as described on its overview page, presents itself as a novel approach to software development, aiming to simplify the creation and maintenance of complex software systems. It achieves this through a core philosophy centered around immutability and relational programming principles, coupled with a unique execution model designed for efficiency and predictable behavior.

At the heart of Neut lies its immutable data model. All data within a Neut program is immutable, meaning that once a value is created, it cannot be modified. This inherent immutability eliminates a large class of potential bugs related to shared state and side effects, thereby increasing the reliability and predictability of the program's behavior. This contributes to a more straightforward reasoning process during development and debugging.

Neut embraces a relational programming paradigm, where computation is expressed as relationships between data, rather than as sequences of imperative instructions. This declarative style further enhances code clarity and maintainability, as it focuses on describing what the program should accomplish, rather than how it should achieve it. This approach allows the compiler to optimize execution more effectively, potentially exploiting parallelism and other performance enhancements.

The language incorporates a novel execution model based on a "pull-based" approach. Instead of explicitly specifying the order of operations, computation is driven by data dependencies. Values are computed only when they are needed, and the system automatically manages the flow of data through the program. This "lazy evaluation" strategy can lead to significant performance gains, particularly in situations where not all computed values are ultimately required. Furthermore, this demand-driven execution model inherently supports parallel processing, as independent computations can be executed concurrently.

Neut provides built-in support for concurrency and distributed computing, leveraging its immutable data model and pull-based execution to simplify the development of concurrent and distributed applications. The absence of mutable state eliminates the need for complex synchronization mechanisms, such as locks and mutexes, which are often sources of subtle bugs in concurrent programs.

The language is statically typed, providing compile-time guarantees about the correctness of programs. This static typing helps to prevent a wide range of errors early in the development cycle, leading to more robust and reliable software. Furthermore, the type system can aid in code understanding and refactoring.

Finally, Neut aims to be interoperable with existing software ecosystems, allowing integration with code written in other languages. This pragmatic approach acknowledges the reality of existing codebases and allows for gradual adoption of Neut in larger projects. This interoperability facilitates the leveraging of existing libraries and tools while benefiting from the advantages provided by Neut's innovative features.

Summary of Comments ( 27 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43154883

HN commenters generally express interest in Neut, praising its focus on simplicity, safety, and explicitness. Several highlight the appealing aspects of linear types and the borrow checker, noting similarities to Rust but with a seemingly gentler learning curve. Some question the practical applicability of linear types for larger projects, while others anticipate its usefulness in specific domains like game development or embedded systems. A few commenters express skepticism about the limited standard library and the overall maturity of the project, but the overall tone is positive and curious about the language's potential. Performance, particularly relating to garbage collection or its lack thereof, is a recurring point of discussion, with some wondering about the potential for optimizations given the linear type system.

The Hacker News post for "Neut Programming Language" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43154883) has a modest number of comments, sparking a discussion around the language's unique features and potential applications.

Several commenters focus on Neut's core concept of "neural types," expressing interest in its potential for type-safe neural networks. One commenter highlights the challenge of representing complex neural network architectures within a type system, wondering how Neut handles concepts like skip connections and shared weights. Another commenter draws parallels with other typed functional programming languages used in machine learning, like Dex and F*. They question whether Neut offers significant advantages over these existing solutions.

The discussion also touches upon the practicalities of using Neut. One commenter inquires about the language's performance characteristics and the availability of debugging tools. Another raises the crucial question of integration with existing machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. A separate comment expresses skepticism about the overall usefulness of strict typing for neural networks, arguing that the dynamic nature of the field often necessitates flexibility over rigid type safety.

A few comments delve into specific aspects of Neut's design. One points out the potential benefits of using dependent types for expressing tensor shapes and preventing common errors. Another discusses the implications of Neut's choice of Haskell as its implementation language.

Overall, the comments reflect a mixture of curiosity, skepticism, and cautious optimism. While some commenters are intrigued by Neut's novel approach to type safety in neural networks, others remain unconvinced of its practical benefits and express concerns about its integration with existing tools and workflows. The limited number of comments, however, prevents a truly in-depth exploration of the language's potential and drawbacks.

Why I'm writing a Scheme implementation in 2025: Async Rust

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Posted: 2025-02-17 20:30:26

The author is developing a Scheme implementation in async Rust to explore the synergy between the two. They believe Rust's robust tooling, performance, and memory safety, combined with its burgeoning async ecosystem, provide an ideal foundation for a modern Lisp dialect. Async capabilities offer exciting potential for concurrent Scheme programming, especially with features like lightweight tasks and channels. The project aims to leverage Rust's strengths while preserving the elegance and flexibility of Scheme, potentially offering a compelling alternative for both Lisp enthusiasts and Rust developers interested in functional programming.

In a blog post titled "Why I'm Writing a Scheme Implementation in 2025: Async Rust," author Matthew Plant explains his motivations for embarking on a new Scheme implementation, emphasizing the advantages offered by utilizing asynchronous Rust. Plant, acknowledging the plethora of existing Scheme implementations, articulates that his primary drive isn't solely to create another Scheme, but rather to explore the intersection of Scheme's elegant design and the powerful features of asynchronous Rust. He believes this combination offers a unique opportunity to build a high-performance, concurrent Scheme system tailored for modern computing needs.

Plant elaborates on the specific benefits of using async Rust. He highlights the language's memory safety features, eliminating concerns about data races and other memory-related bugs that can plague implementations in languages like C. This inherent safety allows for greater focus on the core logic of the Scheme interpreter and runtime, rather than tedious debugging of memory issues. Furthermore, async Rust provides powerful tools for concurrency and parallelism, allowing for efficient handling of asynchronous operations, which are increasingly prevalent in modern applications. This aligns perfectly with Plant's vision of a modern, high-performance Scheme system. He specifically mentions the desire to experiment with concurrent garbage collection, facilitated by async Rust, potentially leading to a more responsive and efficient runtime environment.

The author discusses previous attempts at achieving similar goals with other languages, acknowledging that projects like CHICKEN Scheme have achieved a high level of performance. However, he argues that leveraging async Rust offers a unique blend of performance, safety, and concurrency features that makes it a particularly compelling choice for this project. He expresses excitement about the prospect of combining Scheme's simplicity and elegance with the robustness and modern capabilities of async Rust. Plant further details his intention to integrate modern tooling, specifically mentioning Language Server Protocol (LSP) support, to enhance the developer experience. This focus on tooling reflects a commitment to creating not only a performant implementation but also a user-friendly development environment.

Finally, the post concludes with a look towards the future of the project. Plant states his intentions to release the code open-source, encouraging community involvement and contributions. He acknowledges that the project is in its early stages, but expresses optimism about its potential and invites others to join him in exploring the possibilities of a Scheme implementation powered by async Rust. He sees this project as an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of Scheme implementations and leverage the best of what modern language design has to offer.

Summary of Comments ( 74 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43083017

HN commenters generally expressed interest in the project, finding the combination of Scheme and async Rust intriguing. Several questioned the choice of Rust for performance reasons, arguing that garbage collection makes it a poor fit for truly high-performance async workloads, and suggesting alternatives like C, C++, or even Zig. Some suggested exploring other approaches within the Rust ecosystem, like using a different garbage collector or a stack-allocated scheme. Others praised the project's focus on developer experience and the potential of combining Scheme's expressiveness with Rust's safety features. A few commenters also discussed the challenges of integrating garbage collection with async runtimes and the potential trade-offs involved. The author's responses clarified some of the design choices and acknowledged the performance concerns, indicating they're open to exploring different strategies.

The Hacker News post discussing the blog post "Why I'm writing a Scheme implementation in 2025: Async Rust" has generated a moderate number of comments, mostly focusing on the author's chosen technology stack and motivations.

Several commenters express curiosity and interest in the project. One asks about the specific type of Scheme being implemented, questioning whether it's a "full R7RS Scheme" or a smaller subset. This commenter also mentions their own fondness for Scheme's "powerful macro system." Another commenter questions the choice of Rust for garbage collection, citing potential performance challenges. They suggest exploring other languages like Go or Zig, which might offer better performance for this specific task. However, another user counters this point by suggesting that the author likely chose Rust for its memory safety guarantees, even if it means potentially more complex garbage collection implementation.

A recurring theme in the comments is the perceived complexity of implementing a garbage collector in Rust. Multiple users highlight this as a potentially significant hurdle. One commenter proposes using a tracing garbage collector as a potentially suitable approach. They further elaborate by suggesting that the author could leverage Rust's ownership system to enhance the efficiency of the garbage collector.

Some commenters delve into more technical aspects of the project. One discusses the possibilities of integration with WebAssembly, specifically using WASI. They propose that such integration could allow the Scheme implementation to run in various environments, widening its potential use cases.

There's also discussion about the practical applications of this new Scheme implementation. One commenter suggests potential use cases in game development, highlighting Scheme's suitability for scripting and embedded logic.

Finally, a few comments offer alternative perspectives. One commenter suggests that the author's goal of combining Scheme and async Rust could be achieved by embedding a Lua interpreter instead, arguing that this might be a simpler and more efficient route. Another commenter wonders about the practical benefits of this project, questioning whether the combination of Scheme and async Rust offers significant advantages over existing solutions.

Overall, the comments reflect a mixture of intrigue, skepticism, and practical advice regarding the author's endeavor. While some express enthusiasm for the project, others raise concerns about the chosen technologies and the project's overall practicality. The discussion revolves primarily around the technical challenges of garbage collection in Rust, the potential benefits and drawbacks of the technology stack, and the possible applications of the resulting Scheme implementation.

Tiny JITs for a Faster FFI

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Posted: 2025-02-12 22:20:19

This post explores optimizing Ruby's Foreign Function Interface (FFI) performance by using tiny Just-In-Time (JIT) compilers. The author demonstrates how generating specialized machine code for specific FFI calls can drastically reduce overhead compared to the generic FFI invocation process. They present a proof-of-concept implementation using Rust and inline assembly, showcasing significant speed improvements, especially for repeated calls with the same argument types. While acknowledging limitations and areas for future development, like handling different calling conventions and more complex types, the post concludes that tiny JITs offer a promising path toward a much faster Ruby FFI.

The blog post "Tiny JITs for a Faster FFI" on Rails at Scale explores the performance challenges of Foreign Function Interfaces (FFIs) and introduces a novel approach using tiny Just-In-Time (JIT) compilers to mitigate these overheads. The author begins by establishing the context of FFIs, describing their role in bridging the gap between different programming languages, specifically highlighting their importance within Ruby on Rails applications for interacting with native extensions often written in C. They emphasize that FFIs are essential for leveraging performance-critical libraries and functionalities not readily available within Ruby's ecosystem.

The core performance bottleneck with FFIs lies in the "marshaling" process, which involves converting data between the representations used by the two interacting languages. This conversion process can be computationally expensive, especially when dealing with complex data structures or frequent calls across the FFI boundary. The traditional approach to mitigating this overhead involves manually writing specialized C "shim" functions tailored for specific data types and operations. This manual optimization, however, is labor-intensive, error-prone, and difficult to maintain, especially as the complexity of the interaction grows.

The post proposes a more automated and flexible solution: employing small, specialized JIT compilers to generate these conversion routines dynamically. These "tiny JITs" analyze the required data transformations at runtime and generate optimized machine code specifically designed for the task at hand. This eliminates the need for hand-written shims and allows for more efficient data marshaling. The authors explain their chosen implementation strategy using Rust and its procedural macro capabilities. They leverage Rust's powerful metaprogramming features to generate the necessary code at compile time, resulting in a more performant and maintainable solution.

The post then delves into the practical application of this approach within the context of a Ruby gem named "fruity". Fruity uses this tiny JIT technique to optimize calls to C functions, demonstrating significant performance improvements in benchmark comparisons against traditional FFI methods. The authors provide concrete examples and performance data to showcase the effectiveness of their approach, emphasizing the substantial reduction in overhead achieved through JIT-generated conversion routines. They also highlight the portability of this technique, mentioning its potential applicability to other language combinations beyond Ruby and C.

Finally, the post concludes by acknowledging the ongoing nature of the project and outlining future directions for research and development. This includes further exploration of potential optimizations, expanding support for more complex data structures and operations, and investigating the integration of this technique within other FFI frameworks. The authors express optimism about the potential of tiny JITs to significantly improve the performance and usability of FFIs in various programming environments.

Summary of Comments ( 109 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43030388

The Hacker News comments on "Tiny JITs for a Faster FFI" express skepticism about the practicality of tiny JITs in real-world scenarios. Several commenters question the performance gains, citing the overhead of the JIT itself and the potential for optimization by the host language's runtime. They argue that a well-optimized native library, or even careful use of the host language's FFI, could often outperform a tiny JIT. One commenter notes the difficulties of debugging and maintaining such a system, and another raises security concerns related to executing untrusted code. The overall sentiment leans towards established optimization techniques rather than introducing a new layer of complexity with a tiny JIT.

The Hacker News post "Tiny JITs for a Faster FFI" has generated a moderate discussion with several interesting comments. Many of the comments revolve around the trade-offs and nuances of using Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation for Foreign Function Interfaces (FFIs).

One commenter points out the performance benefits observed when using a simple JIT for Lua's FFI, highlighting a significant speedup. They further discuss the inherent costs associated with traditional FFIs, such as argument marshaling and context switching, which a JIT can mitigate. The commenter's experience adds practical weight to the article's premise.

Another comment thread delves into the complexities of implementing a truly portable JIT given the variations in Application Binary Interfaces (ABIs) across different operating systems and architectures. This discussion highlights the challenge of creating a "tiny" and efficient JIT compiler that remains universally applicable. One participant suggests focusing on specific, commonly used platforms initially to simplify the development process.

A separate commenter mentions the potential security implications of JIT compilation, particularly in scenarios involving untrusted code. They emphasize the need for careful consideration of security risks when incorporating JIT techniques into an FFI, especially when dealing with external libraries or user-provided code. This comment serves as a valuable reminder of the security considerations associated with dynamic code generation.

Another comment discusses the existing use of small JITs in various projects like WebKit, suggesting that the concept presented in the article is not entirely novel. They link to a relevant talk about a register-based virtual machine with a JIT compiler used for JavaScriptCore, providing further context for those interested in existing implementations.

Some comments briefly touch upon alternative approaches to optimizing FFIs, such as using code generation during build time or employing specialized libraries. While these suggestions are not explored in detail, they offer additional perspectives on addressing FFI performance bottlenecks.

Finally, one comment questions the necessity of a JIT compiler in some cases, arguing that careful optimization of the FFI itself can often achieve comparable performance gains without the complexity of dynamic code generation. This counterpoint adds balance to the discussion and encourages consideration of alternative optimization strategies.

Overall, the comments on Hacker News provide valuable insights into the potential benefits, challenges, and trade-offs associated with using tiny JIT compilers for FFIs. They expand upon the article's core ideas by exploring practical experiences, security considerations, existing implementations, and alternative optimization techniques.

I Wrote a WebAssembly VM in C

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Posted: 2025-02-03 14:30:11

The author details their process of creating a WebAssembly (Wasm) virtual machine (VM) written entirely in C. Driven by a desire for a lightweight, embeddable Wasm runtime for resource-constrained environments, they built the VM from scratch, implementing core features like the stack-based execution model, linear memory, and basic WebAssembly System Interface (WASI) support. The project focused on simplicity and understandability over performance, serving primarily as a learning exercise and a platform for experimentation with Wasm. The post walks through key aspects of the VM's design and implementation, including parsing the Wasm binary format, handling function calls, and managing memory. It also highlights the challenges faced and lessons learned during the development process.

In a detailed blog post titled "I Wrote a WebAssembly VM in C," the author chronicles their journey of creating a WebAssembly (Wasm) virtual machine from scratch using the C programming language. Their primary motivation stemmed from a desire to deeply understand the inner workings of Wasm, moving beyond simply utilizing existing tools and libraries. This hands-on approach allowed them to grasp the intricacies of the Wasm specification and the challenges involved in its implementation.

The post begins by outlining the core components of a Wasm VM, including the stack, memory, and execution environment. The author then meticulously describes the process of parsing and interpreting Wasm bytecode, explaining how each instruction is handled by the VM. They delve into the complexities of implementing the stack-based virtual machine architecture, covering topics such as operand evaluation, function calls, and local variable management. Specific instructions, like i32.add and local.get, are used as examples to illustrate the execution flow and data manipulation within the VM.

The development process involved several iterative steps. The author started with a basic framework capable of executing simple arithmetic operations and gradually expanded its functionality to support more complex features like function calls and control flow instructions. They emphasized the importance of rigorous testing throughout the development cycle, using carefully crafted test cases to ensure the correctness of their implementation.

The author acknowledges that their implementation is not fully compliant with the complete Wasm specification, focusing primarily on a subset of core instructions. However, this simplified approach served their educational purpose of gaining a foundational understanding of Wasm execution. The post concludes with a reflection on the lessons learned during the project and a discussion of potential future enhancements, including adding support for more advanced Wasm features and optimizing the VM's performance. The author's code, written entirely in C, is available publicly for others to explore and learn from, offering a tangible resource for anyone interested in diving into the world of WebAssembly virtual machines.

Summary of Comments ( 43 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42918524

Hacker News users generally praised the author's clear writing style and the educational value of the post. Several commenters discussed the project's performance, noting that it's not optimized for speed and suggesting potential improvements like just-in-time compilation. Some shared their own experiences with WASM interpreters and related projects, including comparisons to other implementations and alternative approaches like using a stack machine. Others appreciated the detailed explanation of the parsing and execution process, finding it helpful for understanding WASM internals. A few users pointed out minor corrections or areas for potential enhancement in the code, demonstrating active engagement with the technical details.

The Hacker News post "I Wrote a WebAssembly VM in C" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42918524) generated a moderate amount of discussion, with several commenters engaging with the project and offering insights or related experiences.

A recurring theme was admiration for the author's undertaking, with several commenters acknowledging the complexity and difficulty of writing a Wasm VM. One commenter pointed out the educational value of such projects, emphasizing the deep understanding of Wasm's internals that one gains through implementation. They also noted that while Wasm is often perceived as a compilation target, understanding its runtime environment is equally crucial.

Another user shared a personal anecdote of a similar project, where they wrote a Wasm interpreter in Rust. They explained that their motivation stemmed from a need to run Wasm in a constrained embedded environment lacking a JIT compiler. This comment highlighted a practical use case for Wasm interpreters, contrasting with the more common JIT-based implementations.

A discussion unfolded about the performance characteristics of interpreted Wasm versus compiled Wasm. One commenter questioned the practical applicability of interpreters, speculating that their performance limitations might restrict their usefulness. Another user countered this by suggesting potential niche applications, such as debugging or educational purposes, where raw performance is less critical than other features like understandability and control. They also mentioned the possibility of using an interpreter as a fallback mechanism when JIT compilation is unavailable.

The author of the Wasm VM chimed in to address some of these questions. They clarified that the project was primarily an educational exercise, not intended for production use. They acknowledged the performance limitations of interpretation and confirmed they had no plans to add a JIT compiler. They also engaged with other commenters, discussing technical details of their implementation, such as the handling of garbage collection.

Finally, one comment drew a parallel between the author's project and the early days of Java, where interpreted execution was common before JIT compilation became prevalent. This comparison highlighted the potential evolution of Wasm runtimes, suggesting that interpreters might play a more significant role in the future, particularly in resource-constrained environments.

Par: Process language with an interactive playground for exploring concurrency

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Posted: 2025-02-02 18:41:04

Par is a new programming language designed for exploring and understanding concurrency. It features a built-in interactive playground that visualizes program execution, making it easier to grasp complex concurrent behavior. Par's syntax is inspired by Go, emphasizing simplicity and readability. The language utilizes goroutines and channels for concurrency, offering a practical way to learn and experiment with these concepts. While currently focused on concurrency education and experimentation, the project aims to eventually expand into a general-purpose language.

The GitHub project "Par," short for "Parallel," introduces a novel programming language explicitly designed for concurrent programming and features an interactive playground for experimentation and exploration. This language aims to simplify the complexities often associated with concurrent and parallel programming by offering a streamlined syntax and built-in concurrency primitives. The core concept revolves around "processes" as the fundamental building blocks of computation. These processes communicate with each other through channels, facilitating message passing as the primary means of interaction and data exchange. This channel-based communication model is intended to prevent common concurrency issues like race conditions and deadlocks by enforcing a structured and controlled flow of information between parallel processes.

Par's accompanying interactive playground offers a significant advantage for learning and experimentation. This web-based environment allows developers to write and execute Par code directly in their browser, providing immediate feedback and visualization of the concurrent processes in action. The playground's interactive nature enables users to observe how processes interact, how data flows through channels, and how the overall system evolves over time. This real-time feedback loop fosters a deeper understanding of concurrency concepts and allows developers to quickly prototype and refine their parallel algorithms.

The Par language itself is designed for simplicity and clarity. Its syntax draws inspiration from Go, aiming for a familiar and approachable feel for developers experienced with other modern languages. This focus on simplicity extends to the language's feature set, prioritizing core concurrency constructs while minimizing extraneous complexities. By providing a minimal yet powerful set of tools, Par strives to lower the barrier to entry for concurrent programming and empower developers to create efficient and reliable parallel applications.

The project is open-source and actively maintained, inviting community contributions and feedback. The provided documentation outlines the language's syntax, semantics, and the workings of the interactive playground. Examples are provided to demonstrate common concurrency patterns and best practices, aiding developers in getting started and exploring the capabilities of the Par language and its ecosystem. While the project is still under development, it presents a promising approach to simplifying concurrent programming and offers a valuable tool for learning and experimentation in the realm of parallel computation.

Summary of Comments ( 0 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42910667

Hacker News users discussed Par's simplicity and suitability for teaching concurrency concepts. Several praised the interactive playground as a valuable tool for visualization and experimentation. Some questioned its practical applications beyond educational purposes, citing limitations compared to established languages like Go. The creator responded to some comments, clarifying design choices and acknowledging potential areas for improvement, such as error handling. There was also a brief discussion about the language's syntax and comparisons to other visual programming tools.

The Hacker News post about Par, a process language with an interactive playground for exploring concurrency, generated several comments exploring different aspects of the language and its potential applications.

One commenter expressed excitement about the visual representation of processes, appreciating the ability to see how messages flow and how deadlocks occur. They believe this visual aspect makes it a valuable tool for teaching and understanding concurrency concepts, potentially even surpassing the educational value of Go's concurrency model. They specifically mention the visualization being key for grasping non-obvious aspects of concurrency, suggesting it bridges a gap that textual representations struggle with.

Another commenter questioned the practical applications of Par, wondering if it's more of an academic exercise than a tool for real-world programming. They acknowledged the value of its educational aspects but were skeptical about its usefulness in production environments. This prompted a discussion about the potential for Par-like languages in specific domains like game development, embedded systems, or areas where explicit concurrency control is crucial. The limitations of CSP-style concurrency in scenarios requiring dynamic process creation were also raised.

The creator of Par responded to several comments, clarifying design decisions and outlining future directions for the language. They explained the choice to omit features like channels with multiple senders, emphasizing the language's focus on simplicity and educational clarity. They also addressed questions about performance and the possibility of compiling Par to other languages. This direct engagement from the creator provided valuable insight into the motivations and goals behind the project.

Another thread of discussion revolved around the choice of Go for the implementation of the playground. While some saw it as a sensible choice given Go's robust concurrency features, others argued that a language like Rust might be a better fit due to its memory safety guarantees. This discussion touched upon the performance implications of different implementation choices and the tradeoffs between ease of development and runtime efficiency.

Finally, several commenters drew comparisons to other concurrent programming models and languages, including Go, Erlang, and Pict. These comparisons highlighted the similarities and differences in their approaches to concurrency, offering a broader perspective on the landscape of concurrent programming paradigms. Specifically, the differences between channel-based concurrency and the message passing approach of Par were discussed.

I wrote my own “proper” programming language (2020)

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Posted: 2025-01-22 09:54:25

Mukul Rathi details his journey of creating a custom programming language, focusing on the compiler construction process. He explains the key stages involved, from lexing (converting source code into tokens) and parsing (creating an Abstract Syntax Tree) to code generation and optimization. Rathi uses his language, which he implements in OCaml, to illustrate these concepts, providing code examples and explanations of how each component works together to transform high-level code into executable machine instructions. He emphasizes the importance of understanding these foundational principles for anyone interested in building their own language or gaining a deeper appreciation for how programming languages function.

In a comprehensive blog post titled "I wrote my own “proper” programming language," author Mukul Rathi chronicles the journey of designing and implementing a programming language from its nascent conceptual stages to a functional, albeit rudimentary, state. He meticulously details the process of building a compiler, breaking down the complex task into manageable, discrete steps.

The post begins by outlining the fundamental architecture of a compiler, illustrating the typical workflow from source code to executable program. This includes lexical analysis, where the input code is tokenized; parsing, which involves constructing an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) to represent the code's structure; semantic analysis, where type checking and other semantic rules are enforced; and finally, code generation, where the AST is translated into intermediate representations like bytecode or assembly language.

Rathi delves into the specifics of his implementation, utilizing Python as the language for his compiler. He elucidates the lexical analyzer’s role in categorizing individual components of the source code, such as keywords, identifiers, and operators, transforming the raw text into a stream of meaningful tokens. The parsing stage, he explains, involves organizing these tokens into a hierarchical tree structure – the AST – which reflects the grammatical relationships between different parts of the code. This is achieved using a recursive descent parsing technique.

Furthermore, the post underscores the importance of semantic analysis, which goes beyond mere syntax verification and delves into the meaning of the code. This crucial step involves ensuring type compatibility, checking for undeclared variables, and enforcing other language-specific semantic rules. Rathi describes how his compiler performs these checks, thereby ensuring the logical integrity of the program.

Finally, the post culminates in a discussion of code generation. While stopping short of generating machine code directly, Rathi explains how his compiler generates bytecode, a lower-level representation of the program. This bytecode can then be executed by a virtual machine, effectively bridging the gap between high-level source code and the underlying hardware. He emphasizes that while his compiler does not perform all the optimizations a production-ready compiler would, it demonstrates the essential steps involved in translating a high-level programming language into an executable format. The post concludes by acknowledging the project's limitations while highlighting its educational value as a practical exercise in compiler construction.

Summary of Comments ( 13 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42791036

Hacker News users generally praised the article for its clarity and accessibility in explaining compiler construction. Several commenters appreciated the author's approach of building a complete, albeit simple, language instead of just a toy example. Some pointed out the project's similarity to the "Let's Build a Compiler" series, while others suggested alternative or supplementary resources like Crafting Interpreters and the LLVM tutorial. A few users discussed the tradeoffs between hand-written lexers/parsers and using parser generator tools, and the challenges of garbage collection implementation. One commenter shared their personal experience of writing a language and the surprising complexity of seemingly simple features.

The Hacker News thread for "I wrote my own “proper” programming language (2020)" contains several comments discussing various aspects of the linked article.

Many comments focus on tooling and alternative approaches to building a programming language. One user suggests using tools like Lex/Yacc or Flex/Bison for lexical analysis and parsing, offering a more robust and less error-prone method than manual implementation. This comment sparked a small discussion thread with another user pointing out that while powerful, these tools can add complexity, especially for beginners. They advocate for a simpler approach initially, recommending a hand-rolled recursive descent parser for its educational value in understanding the underlying mechanisms. This exchange highlights the trade-off between ease of implementation and the robustness of the final product.

Another commenter discusses the evolution of compiler construction and how techniques and tools have changed over time. They specifically mention the shift towards using LLVM as a backend for code generation and optimization. This offers the advantage of targeting multiple platforms without rewriting the backend for each one.

Several users commend the author of the article for undertaking such a complex project and sharing their knowledge. They praise the clear explanations and the step-by-step approach presented in the article, finding it accessible even for those without prior compiler development experience.

Some comments delve into specific aspects of the implementation, such as garbage collection, with one commenter suggesting exploring different garbage collection strategies. Another thread discusses the performance implications of different language design choices, emphasizing the importance of considering efficiency from the start.

One user expresses a common sentiment among language developers, mentioning the inherent difficulty and complexity involved in creating a "proper" programming language. They acknowledge the effort required for not just initial implementation, but also ongoing maintenance and improvement.

Finally, a few comments express interest in the language's potential applications and its future development. They inquire about specific features and express a desire to see the project evolve.

Fuzzing the PHP Interpreter via Dataflow Fusion

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Posted: 2024-11-15 15:36:53

This paper introduces a new fuzzing technique called Dataflow Fusion (DFusion) specifically designed for complex interpreters like PHP. DFusion addresses the challenge of efficiently exploring deep execution paths within interpreters by strategically combining coverage-guided fuzzing with taint analysis. It identifies critical dataflow paths and generates inputs that maximize the exploration of these paths, leading to the discovery of more bugs. The researchers evaluated DFusion against existing PHP fuzzers and demonstrated its effectiveness in uncovering previously unknown vulnerabilities, including crashes and memory safety issues, within the PHP interpreter. Their results highlight the potential of DFusion for improving the security and reliability of interpreted languages.

The research paper "Fuzzing the PHP Interpreter via Dataflow Fusion" introduces a novel fuzzing technique specifically designed for complex interpreters like PHP. The authors argue that existing fuzzing methods often struggle with these interpreters due to their intricate internal structures and dynamic behaviors. They propose a new approach called Dataflow Fusion, which aims to enhance the effectiveness of fuzzing by strategically combining different dataflow analysis techniques.

Traditional fuzzing relies heavily on code coverage, attempting to explore as many different execution paths as possible. However, in complex interpreters, achieving high coverage can be challenging and doesn't necessarily correlate with uncovering deep bugs. Dataflow Fusion tackles this limitation by moving beyond simple code coverage and focusing on the flow of data within the interpreter.

The core idea behind Dataflow Fusion is to leverage multiple dataflow analyses, specifically taint analysis and control-flow analysis, and fuse their results to guide the fuzzing process more intelligently. Taint analysis tracks the propagation of user-supplied input through the interpreter, identifying potential vulnerabilities where untrusted data influences critical operations. Control-flow analysis, on the other hand, maps out the possible execution paths within the interpreter. By combining these two analyses, Dataflow Fusion can identify specific areas of the interpreter's code where tainted data affects control flow, thus pinpointing potentially vulnerable locations.

The paper details the implementation of Dataflow Fusion within a custom fuzzer for the PHP interpreter. This fuzzer uses a hybrid approach, combining both mutation-based fuzzing, which modifies existing inputs, and generation-based fuzzing, which creates entirely new inputs. The fuzzer is guided by the Dataflow Fusion engine, which prioritizes inputs that are likely to explore interesting and potentially vulnerable paths within the interpreter.

The authors evaluate the effectiveness of their approach by comparing it to existing fuzzing techniques. Their experiments demonstrate that Dataflow Fusion significantly outperforms traditional fuzzing methods in terms of bug discovery. They report uncovering a number of previously unknown vulnerabilities in the PHP interpreter, including several critical security flaws. These findings highlight the potential of Dataflow Fusion to improve the security of complex interpreters.

Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges and limitations of the proposed approach. Dataflow analysis can be computationally expensive, particularly for large and complex interpreters. The authors address this issue by employing various optimization techniques to improve the performance of the Dataflow Fusion engine. They also acknowledge that Dataflow Fusion, like any fuzzing technique, is not a silver bullet and may not be able to uncover all vulnerabilities. However, their results suggest that it represents a significant step forward in the ongoing effort to improve the security of complex software systems. The paper concludes by suggesting future research directions, including exploring the applicability of Dataflow Fusion to other interpreters and programming languages.

Summary of Comments ( 3 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42147833

Hacker News users discussed the potential impact and novelty of the PHP fuzzer described in the linked paper. Several commenters expressed skepticism about the significance of the discovered vulnerabilities, pointing out that many seemed related to edge cases or functionalities rarely used in real-world PHP applications. Others questioned the fuzzer's ability to uncover truly impactful bugs compared to existing methods. Some discussion revolved around the technical details of the fuzzing technique, "dataflow fusion," with users inquiring about its specific advantages and limitations. There was also debate about the general state of PHP security and whether this research represents a meaningful advancement in securing the language.

The Hacker News post titled "Fuzzing the PHP Interpreter via Dataflow Fusion" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42147833) has several comments discussing the linked research paper. The discussion revolves around the effectiveness and novelty of the presented fuzzing technique.

One commenter highlights the impressive nature of finding 189 unique bugs, especially considering PHP's maturity and the extensive testing it already undergoes. They point out the difficulty of fuzzing interpreters in general and praise the researchers' approach.

Another commenter questions the significance of the found bugs, wondering how many are exploitable and pose a real security risk. They acknowledge the value of finding any bugs but emphasize the importance of distinguishing between minor issues and serious vulnerabilities. This comment sparks a discussion about the nature of fuzzing, with replies explaining that fuzzing often reveals unexpected edge cases and vulnerabilities that traditional testing might miss. It's also mentioned that while not all bugs found through fuzzing are immediately exploitable, they can still provide valuable insights into potential weaknesses and contribute to the overall robustness of the software.

The discussion also touches on the technical details of the "dataflow fusion" technique used in the research. One commenter asks for clarification on how this approach differs from traditional fuzzing methods, prompting a response explaining the innovative aspects of combining dataflow analysis with fuzzing. This fusion allows for more targeted and efficient exploration of the interpreter's state space, leading to a higher likelihood of uncovering bugs.

Furthermore, a commenter with experience in PHP internals shares insights into the challenges of maintaining and debugging such a complex codebase. They appreciate the research for contributing to the improvement of PHP's stability and security.

Finally, there's a brief exchange about the practical implications of these findings, with commenters speculating about potential patches and updates to the PHP interpreter based on the discovered vulnerabilities.

Overall, the comments reflect a positive reception of the research, acknowledging the challenges of fuzzing interpreters and praising the researchers' innovative approach and the significant number of bugs discovered. There's also a healthy discussion about the practical implications of the findings and the importance of distinguishing between minor bugs and serious security vulnerabilities.

Show HN: Zyme – An Evolvable Programming Language

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Posted: 2024-11-15 14:13:19

Zyme is a new programming language designed for evolvability. It features a simple, homoiconic syntax and a small core language, making it easy to modify and extend. The language is designed to be used for genetic programming and other evolutionary computation techniques, allowing programs to be mutated and crossed over to generate new, potentially improved versions. Zyme is implemented in Rust and currently offers basic arithmetic, list manipulation, and conditional logic. It aims to provide a platform for exploring new ideas in program evolution and to facilitate the creation of self-modifying and adaptable software.

The Hacker News post introduces Zyme, a novel programming language designed with evolvability as its core principle. Zyme aims to facilitate the automatic creation and refinement of programs through evolutionary computation techniques, mimicking the process of natural selection. Instead of relying on traditional programming paradigms, Zyme utilizes a tree-based representation of code, where programs are structured as hierarchical expressions. This tree structure allows for easy manipulation and modification, making it suitable for evolutionary algorithms that operate by mutating and recombining code fragments.

The language itself is described as minimalistic, featuring a small set of primitive operations that can be combined to express complex computations. This minimalist approach reduces the search space for evolutionary algorithms, making the process of finding effective programs more efficient. The core primitives include arithmetic operations, conditional logic, and functions for manipulating the program's own tree structure, enabling self-modification. This latter feature is particularly important for evolvability, as it allows programs to adapt their own structure and behavior during the evolutionary process.

Zyme provides an interactive environment for experimentation and development. Users can define a desired behavior or task, and then employ evolutionary algorithms to automatically generate programs that exhibit that behavior. The fitness of a program is evaluated based on how well it matches the specified target behavior. Over successive generations, the population of programs evolves, with fitter individuals being more likely to reproduce and contribute to the next generation. This iterative process leads to the emergence of increasingly complex and sophisticated programs capable of solving the given task.

The post emphasizes Zyme's potential for exploring emergent behavior and solving complex problems in novel ways. By leveraging the power of evolution, Zyme offers a different approach to programming, shifting the focus from manual code creation to the design of evolutionary processes that can automatically discover efficient and effective solutions. The website includes examples and demonstrations of Zyme's capabilities, showcasing its ability to evolve programs for tasks like image processing and game playing. It also provides resources for learning the language and contributing to its development, suggesting a focus on community involvement in shaping Zyme's future.

Summary of Comments ( 23 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42147110

HN commenters generally expressed skepticism about Zyme's practical applications. Several questioned the evolutionary approach's efficiency compared to traditional programming paradigms, particularly for complex tasks. Some doubted the ability of evolution to produce readable and maintainable code. Others pointed out the challenges in defining fitness functions and controlling the evolutionary process. A few commenters expressed interest in the project's potential, particularly for tasks where traditional approaches struggle, such as program synthesis or automatic bug fixing. However, the overall sentiment leaned towards cautious curiosity rather than enthusiastic endorsement, with many calling for more concrete examples and comparisons to established techniques.

The Hacker News post "Show HN: Zyme – An Evolvable Programming Language" sparked a discussion with several interesting comments.

Several commenters express interest in the project and its potential. One commenter mentions the connection to "Genetic Programming," acknowledging the long-standing interest in this field and Zyme's contribution to it. They also raise a question about Zyme's practical applications beyond theoretical exploration. Another commenter draws a parallel between Zyme and Wolfram Language, highlighting the shared concept of symbolic programming, but also questioning Zyme's unique contribution. This commenter seems intrigued but also cautious, prompting a need for clearer differentiation and practical examples. A different commenter focuses on the aspect of "evolvability" being central to genetic programming, subtly suggesting that the project description might benefit from emphasizing this aspect more prominently.

One commenter expresses skepticism about the feasibility of using genetic programming to solve complex problems, pointing out the challenges of defining effective fitness functions. They allude to the common issue in genetic programming where generated solutions might achieve high fitness scores in contrived examples but fail to generalize to real-world scenarios.

Furthering the discussion on practical applications, one commenter questions the current state of usability of Zyme for solving real-world problems. They express a desire to see concrete examples or success stories that would showcase the language's practical capabilities. This comment highlights a general interest in understanding how Zyme could be used beyond theoretical or academic contexts.

Another commenter requests clarification about how Zyme handles the issue of program bloat, a common problem in genetic programming where evolved programs can become excessively large and inefficient. This technical question demonstrates a deeper engagement with the technical aspects of Zyme and the challenges inherent in genetic programming.

Overall, the comments reveal a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and a desire for more concrete examples and clarification on Zyme's capabilities and differentiation. The commenters acknowledge the intriguing concept of an evolvable programming language, but also raise important questions about its practicality, usability, and potential to overcome the inherent challenges of genetic programming.

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