Add B++ to README

[Nv7-GitHub]

Adds B++ to the README

[mewmew]

Thanks for sharing @Nv7-GitHub! Really cool to see what you've been working on :)

Lovely to see you've developed both a compiler (B++ -> LLVM IR), an interpreter and a transpiler (B++ -> Go)!

While you have it fresh in mind, it would be great if you shared some of your experience with using llir/llvm when developing Bpp. What went smooth? Where did you run into problems or what parts of the API were confusing or difficult to work with?

I had a quick look at the source code and from first glance it looks quite clean and well structured. In compile/builtin.go I noticed a pattern which may be quite common for constructing NULL-terminated string constants, e.g. "foo" + string(rune(0)).

	openBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("openbracket", constant.NewCharArrayFromString("["+string(rune(0))))
	closeBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("closebracket", constant.NewCharArrayFromString("]"+string(rune(0))))

Since this pattern will be common also for other users of llir/llvm I think it would be worth creating a utility function for it, and most likely place it in llir/irutil.

For instance:

package irutil

// NewCString returns a new NULL-terminated character array constant based on the given UTF-8 string contents.
func NewCString(s string) *constant.CharArray {
   return constant.NewCharArrayFromString(s + "\x00")
}

Then builtin.go would be updated to:

-	openBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("openbracket", constant.NewCharArrayFromString("["+string(rune(0))))
-	closeBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("closebracket", constant.NewCharArrayFromString("]"+string(rune(0))))
+	openBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("openbracket", irutil.NewCString("[")
+	closeBracket = m.NewGlobalDef("closebracket", irutil.NewCString("]")

Or something along those lines.

So, it would be interesting to hear more about your experience. Especially what parts were a bit frustrating and confusion with using llir/llvm so we can make it easier for users, improve the API, and add missing documentation where needed.

Cheers,
Robin

Edit: irutil.NewCString has now been added (ref llir/irutil@039aa7b)

[Nv7-GitHub]

Thank You!

I switched all my strings over to irutil.NewCString! I like this project a lot, its way easier to use than the C LLVM API. It made generating LLVM code super easy and fun, and I'm so glad I chose it over the C LLVM API!

I would say the biggest difficulty was the C standard library - it would be super cool to have a stdlib package, with bindings to the standard library. In the compiler/builtins.go file I wrote out the function signatures for a bit of the stdlib, but it would be awesome to automatically have bindings to the whole C stdlib.

I love this library and it makes generating LLVM a breeze!

[mewmew]

I would say the biggest difficulty was the C standard library - it would be super cool to have a stdlib package, with bindings to the standard library. In the compiler/builtins.go file I wrote out the function signatures for a bit of the stdlib, but it would be awesome to automatically have bindings to the whole C stdlib.

That's a good idea! I know this has come up in the past, so adding something like irutil/stdlib would be good. I'll create an issue for it.

Happy you enjoyed hacking on a compiler using llir/llvm :) Should you wish in the future, you are always welcome to join us in planning and discussing for new features of llir/llvm.

With kindness,
Robin