Exploring Abstract Syntax Trees and Type Systems

A language’s AST—it’s abstract syntax tree—is nearly always a hidden implementation detail. It’s not treated as part of the language, but merely the intermediate step between parsing and compiling. But this week’s guest aims to flip that relationship on its head...

Peter Saxton joins me to talk about EYG - an AST-first language that defines the fundamental capabilities first, and then stretches out from there to surface syntax and final execution.

The result is something that can teach us a lot about how a typed, functional programming language works; how an extensible effects system works; and could make writing a new programming language as easy as defining the syntax you want, and parsing that into EYG's AST.

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EYG Homepage: https://github.com/crowdhailer/eyg-lang

TinyGo: https://tinygo.org/

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