Drive a bundled `zig` as `zig cc` for the AOT link step, supplying lld + CRT
+ libc (musl/glibc/mingw) so `sx build` produces native binaries with no host
toolchain. Default Linux output is static musl (portable-anywhere).
- src/zig_backend.zig: discover zig ($SX_ZIG / bundled-next-to-exe / PATH);
bundled-vs-PATH provenance gates auto-activation.
- src/target.zig: selectZigLinker + emitZigLinkArgv + zigTargetTriple, dispatched
before the per-OS branches; macOS/Linux/Windows in scope.
- src/ir/emit_llvm.zig: LLVMNormalizeTargetTriple so vendor-less zig triples
(e.g. x86_64-windows-gnu) parse to the correct OS/object format (COFF not ELF).
- src/main.zig: --self-contained / --no-self-contained; linux-musl, linux-musl-arm,
windows-gnu shorthands; de-vendor linux/linux-arm to match the corpus runner.
- examples/1660: Windows Win32 print-42 + exit(0) via kernel32 (ir-only off-Windows).
Auto-activates only for a bundled zig; a PATH-only zig engages under
--self-contained, so native dev/CI builds are never silently rerouted.
Docs: readme Cross-Compilation, design/bundled-zig-link-backend-design.md, current/PLAN-DIST.md.
A `%[name]` that references a symbol ("s") operand without an explicit
modifier now lowers to `${N:c}` (LLVM 'bare constant — no punctuation')
instead of `${N}`. This makes `bl %[fn]` / `call %[fn]` portable across
targets with no per-arch knowledge: x86 would otherwise render `$cb`
(an invalid call target, requiring a hand-written `:P`); aarch64 is
unaffected. Verified `:c` is equivalent to `:P` for x86-64 calls (both
emit R_X86_64_PLT32), and correct for branch targets, RIP-relative
addressing, and `$`-prefixed absolute immediates.
renderAsmTemplate injects `:c` only for symbol operands lacking an
explicit modifier (asmNamedIsSymbol helper); an explicit `%[name:X]`
still wins (escape hatch). x86 example 1659 drops its `:P` for the same
plain `%[fn]` as aarch64 1656. Snapshots regen to `${N:c}`. zig build
test green (668 corpus, 446 unit).
A `"s"` input operand feeds a function/global symbol; the template's
%[name] emits the platform-mangled name, so `bl %[fn]` / `call %[fn]`
branches DIRECTLY to it (PC-relative, no register load — one fewer
indirection than register-indirect `blr`).
Lowering: an `"s"` input lowers its RHS normally (a function name →
`ptr @fn`); the rejection added last commit is removed. Emit: a symbol
operand is passed with its OWN llvm type (LLVMTypeOf) and no coercion —
the function value is a `ptr`, and the old coerce-to-register-int path
mistyped it and failed the verifier. New asmIsSymbol helper.
Verified on aarch64: examples/1656 (sx → asm → bl _cb → sx → 42); the
emitted asm is a direct `bl <_cb>` (objdump-confirmed), IR constraint
`...,s,...`(ptr @cb). Flipped 1656 from the rejection lock to a runnable
aarch64 example. zig build test green (665 corpus, 446 unit).
A symbol operand (constraint "s") feeds a function/global symbol whose
mangled name the template emits — enabling a DIRECT `bl %[fn]` (one
fewer indirection than register-indirect `blr`). Until now `"s" = fn`
fell through to emit and produced an LLVM-verifier crash (param type
mismatch). Reject it at lowering with a clear diagnostic instead, and
lock that with examples/1656-platform-asm-symbol-operand.sx. The next
commit implements it and flips the example to run (→ 42).
Implements indirect-memory (`=*m`) `-> @place` outputs — the last
substantive asm feature. Unlike a write-through `=` output (which
returns a value that is then stored), an indirect output passes the
place ADDRESS to the asm and the asm writes through it; there is no
return slot.
emitInlineAsm:
- indirect outputs are excluded from the LLVM return type;
- their pointer is passed as an opaque `ptr` call arg, placed FIRST
(the arg-consuming constraint order is: output-section indirect
pointers, then inputs, then read-write tied seeds);
- each indirect arg gets an `elementtype(T)` call-site attribute
(required in the opaque-pointer era), T = the pointee type;
- the store-back loop skips indirect outputs (already written).
New asmIsIndirect helper. Lowering stops rejecting `*` (constraint kept
verbatim; `=*m` reaches the constraint string as-is). asmOperandIndex
is unchanged — indirect outputs still count as operands, so `%[name]`
${N} numbering holds.
Verified by running on aarch64: store-through-pointer (str x9, %[out]
→ 42, IR `=*m,~{x9}` with `ptr elementtype(i64)`) and a mixed case
(indirect + value output + input → `=*m,=r,r`, indirect ptr arg first,
${0}/${1}/${2} correct). 1652 flipped from the rejection lock to a
runnable aarch64 example (ir-only elsewhere). zig build test green
(661 corpus, 446 unit).
A scalar `::` constant folds to its value and has no storage. The
unary `.address_of` lowering (src/ir/lower/expr.zig) skipped the
alloca path (is_alloca == false) and resolveGlobalRef (scalar consts
get no storage global), falling through to the generic addr_of arm,
which reinterpreted the folded value as a pointer:
`inttoptr (i64 <value> to ptr)`. That wild pointer segfaulted on
deref and emitted invalid stores for inline-asm `-> @const`.
Diagnose instead, in the address_of(identifier) path: a non-alloca,
non-ref-capture, non-pack-elem scope binding (local scalar const) and
a module_const_map name not backed by storage (module scalar const)
both report "cannot take the address of constant '<name>' — a scalar
'::' constant has no storage …" and return a placeholder Ref. Chose
diagnose over materializing read-only storage (consistent with the
fold-only scalar model). Array/struct consts keep real storage and
stay addressable (@K/@LIT unchanged).
Also gives the ASM stream's planned output-to-const rejection for
free — asm `-> @const` lowers through the same path. Regression:
examples/1177-diagnostics-addr-of-const-rejected.sx. Resolves 0138.
Implements read-write (`+r` / `+{reg}`) `-> @place` outputs. LLVM has
no `+` constraint, so a read-write place lowers to:
- an output `=` constraint (return slot, stored back through the
place after the call), with the leading `+` rewritten to `=`; plus
- a TIED input constraint (the decimal index of that output) appended
after the regular inputs, seeded with the place's loaded value
passed as a call arg.
Tied inputs are appended last so existing operand indices (%[name] ->
${N}) are undisturbed; asmOperandIndex stays correct. Lowering no longer
rejects `+` (indirect `*` still rejected). emitInlineAsm grows the
arg/param arrays by the rw count, loads each seed, and emits the tied
constraint.
Verified by running: increment-in-place (41 -> 42) and a mixed case
(rw place + regular input + value output) producing the textbook
"=r,=r,r,0" constraint with correct ${N} indices. 1650 flipped from
the rejection lock to a runnable aarch64-pinned example (ir-only
elsewhere). zig build test green (658 corpus, 446 unit).
An asm result can be STORED through a place (a local / struct field) instead of
returned; the place output does not join the result tuple.
- parser.zig: `-> @place` parses `@place` as an ordinary address-of expression
→ an out_place operand (the in-function form; reuses the existing `@` prefix).
- inst.zig: AsmOperand gains out_ty (the output slot's value type) so emit can
build the combined return struct without re-deriving from Inst.ty.
- lower/expr.zig: out_place operand = the lowered @place address, out_ty = the
pointee. Read-write (`+`) and indirect-memory (`*`) constraints rejected loudly
(not yet implemented) rather than miscompiled.
- ops.zig emitInlineAsm: the LLVM return type is built from ALL outputs
(out_value + out_place); after the call, out_place slots are stored through
their address and out_value slots rebuild the sx result. Fast path when there
are no place outputs (the struct return IS the result — pure-value asm IR
unchanged).
Verified: write-to-local (42), struct field, mixed value+place (v=10 b=20), `+`
rejected. Locked with 1649-platform-asm-place-output (mixed, runs on aarch64).
zig build test green (657 corpus, 446 unit).
A top-level `asm { "tmpl", };` block (template only) lowers to LLVM `module asm`;
a lib-less `extern` declaration calls into the symbols it defines (the import
direction reuses the existing C-FFI extern path — no new surface).
- ast.zig: asm_global node (AsmGlobal { template }).
- parser.zig: parseAsmGlobal, dispatched from parseTopLevel on kw_asm — rejects
`volatile` and any operands/clobbers (template only). The in-function asm
expression form stays in parsePrimary.
- module.zig: Module.global_asm list; lower/decl.zig captures each template in
lowerMainAndComptime (the real top-level pass — lowerDecls is dead for
top-level); emit_llvm.zig emit() appends each via LLVMAppendModuleInlineAsm in
source order.
- the new node forced asm_global arms in sema.zig (analyzeNode +
findNodeAtOffset) and semantic_diagnostics.zig (checkBindingNames).
Verified end-to-end: an aarch64 `_my_add` global routine, called via `extern`,
returns 42 — AOT only (the ORC JIT doesn't link module-asm symbols; global-asm
symbols live in the final linked binary). Locked with 1648-platform-asm-global
({ "aot": true, "target": "macos" } → AOT build+run on aarch64, ir-only else).
zig build test green (656 corpus, 446 unit).
Replaces the N>1 "Phase E" bail with a shared asmResultType helper (lowering +
inferType) that derives the result type from the out_value operands: 0→void,
1→T, N→a named tuple (fields named via the §II.5 effective-name rule).
Key realization: toLLVMType(tuple) already produces a literal struct {T1,…,Tn} —
exactly what LLVM's multi-output inline asm returns — so emit needs NO change.
Building the op with a tuple result type makes the asm call return the struct,
which IS sx's tuple value (destructured by the normal tuple_get path).
inferType's .asm_expr arm now also delegates to asmResultType (single owner), so
`return asm`, `x := asm`, and `q, r := asm` all agree on the type.
Verified end-to-end on aarch64: split(0x1234)→(lo=52,hi=18), a udiv/msub
divmod→(3,2). IR: `call { i64, i64 } asm "divq ${4}",
"={rax},={rdx},{rax},{rdx},r,~{cc}"(…)` → extractvalue → tuple.
1640 → the x86_64 multi-output IR lock (ir-only); 1647 → a multi-output example
that runs on aarch64.
zig build test green (655 corpus, 446 unit).
lowerAsmExpr stops bailing and builds the inline_asm op: resolves each operand's
effective name (§II.5 — explicit [name] else the {reg} pin), interns
template/constraints/clobbers, lowers input Refs, derives the result TypeId
(0→void, 1→T). Adds the last deferred validation (every %[name] must name an
operand). Multi-output (N>1) bails with a named "Phase E" diagnostic.
emitInlineAsm (backend/llvm/ops.zig) ports Zig's airAssembly: assembles the LLVM
constraint string (outputs → inputs → ~{clobber}, ',' → '|'), rewrites the
template (%[name]→${N}, %%→%, $→$$, %=→${:uid}), then LLVMGetInlineAsm +
LLVMBuildCall2 (AT&T dialect). Dispatch wired in emit_llvm.zig (replacing the C.0
@panic tripwire).
inferType gains an .asm_expr arm (expr_typer.zig) so a bare `x := asm {…-> T}`
binding types correctly — without it the binding inferred .unresolved and
silently produced 0.
llvm_shim.c: LLVMInitializeNativeAsmParser() — the JIT must assemble inline asm
at run time.
Verified end-to-end on the aarch64 host: `mov`/`add` with register-class inputs
and a value output run (exit 42/99), `nop volatile` runs (exit 0). IR is
textbook: `call i64 asm "add ${0},${1},${2}", "=r,r,r"(…)`.
Locked with 1645 (aarch64 add, runs; ir-only on non-aarch64) + 1646 (:= binding).
Updated 1640 (now Phase-E bail) + 1642 (now runs).
zig build test green (654 corpus, 446 unit).
Adds the `inline_asm: InlineAsm` opcode to the IR Op union (inst.zig): interned
template + operand list (role/name/constraint/operand) + interned clobber names
+ has_side_effects; the result rides on Inst.ty (void / scalar / tuple).
The new variant forces coverage in the exhaustive Op switches:
- interp.zig: loud bailDetail — inline asm is never comptime-evaluable.
- print.zig: an IR-dump arm.
- emit_llvm.zig: a @panic TRIPWIRE — emit lands in Phase D, and until then
lowerAsmExpr still bails, so no inline_asm op is ever created. Reaching emit
would mean lowering switched over before emit was ready; crash loudly rather
than miscompile.
No behavior change: lowering still bails, the op is constructed only in the new
`inline_asm op shape` unit test (inst.test.zig).
zig build test green (652 corpus, 446 unit).
Extends lowerAsmExpr with a pinnedRegister(constraint) helper and two §II.5
operand-naming checks, in the compile path before the codegen bail:
- reject the echo form `[eax] "={eax}"` — a label identical to the register its
own constraint pins is redundant (the operand is already auto-named after the
register); the useful form is a label that differs (`[quot] "={rax}"`);
- reject duplicate operand names (ambiguous %[name] / result field).
Locked with 1643-platform-asm-echo-name and 1644-platform-asm-duplicate-name.
zig build test green (652 corpus, 445 unit).
Restructures the .asm_expr lowering arm into lowerAsmExpr, which validates the
asm shape with specific named diagnostics BEFORE the not-yet-implemented codegen
bail, so the user sees the real problem first. Two checklist items enforced:
- template must be a compile-time-known string ("..." or #string), not a
runtime expression;
- an asm with no value outputs must be `volatile` (else its effects could be
deleted) — mirrors Zig's rule.
Valid shapes still bail with the "codegen not yet implemented" message. Result-
type derivation + the operand auto-naming rule stay deferred to Phase C, where a
real IR op makes the result type observable/testable.
Locked with 1641-platform-asm-missing-volatile (the volatile error) and
1642-platform-asm-nop-volatile (no-output + volatile accepted → codegen bail).
zig build test green (650 corpus, 445 unit).
`asm volatile? { "tmpl", [name]? "constraint" (-> Type | = expr), …,
clobbers(.…) }` now parses into a flat-operand AsmExpr/AsmOperand (ast.zig +
parser.zig parseAsmExpr, dispatched from parsePrimary on .kw_asm). `volatile`
and `clobbers` are recognized contextually (not reserved). `-> @place`
write-through is rejected with a clear "Phase 2" parse error.
Codegen is not implemented yet (IR op + LLVM emit are Phases C–E), so lowering
bails LOUD + named via an explicit .asm_expr arm in lower/expr.zig (not the
generic unknown_expr else) — emitPlaceholder makes hasErrors() abort the build
on the message.
The new asm_expr tag forced (and got) arms in three exhaustive Node.Data
switches: sema.zig analyzeNode + findNodeAtOffset, semantic_diagnostics.zig
checkBindingNames — each recurses into template + operand payloads.
Design: adopted the operand auto-naming rule (design §II.5) — name auto-derived
from a {reg} pin, explicit [name] only when it differs or for register-class
operands, echo form rejected. Typing-stage rule; parser stores name: ?[]const u8.
Locked with examples/1640-platform-asm-parse.sx (multi-output divmod: named
operands, register pins, clobbers — parses then bails, called from main).
Also files issue 0137 (pre-existing, orthogonal: `sx run` with no `main`
segfaults via an unguarded JIT entry lookup in target.zig — not an asm bug).
zig build test green (648 corpus, 445 unit).
`asm` now lexes as a dedicated `kw_asm` keyword (Token.Tag + keyword map entry).
`volatile` and `clobbers` stay out of the global keyword table — they are
recognized contextually only inside an `asm { … }` body (PLAN-ASM Deviation 4).
- token.zig: kw_asm tag + `.{ "asm", .kw_asm }` map entry.
- lsp/server.zig: classifyToken exhaustive switch gained the .kw_asm arm
(the new enum value forced coverage — intended tripwire).
- lexer.test.zig (new, wired into root.zig barrel): locks `asm`->kw_asm and
`volatile`/`clobbers`->identifier.
Lock commit (behavior-locking passing test). zig build test green (445 unit).
When a `.build` target doesn't match the host, the runner can't execute the
example here, so it verifies via `sx ir --target` only: asserts exit + the `.ir`
snapshot (stdout) + diagnostics (stderr), never `.stdout`. An `.ir` snapshot is
REQUIRED in ir-only mode — its absence is a loud failure, never a silent pass.
- corpus_run.test.zig: ir_only flag (target set & !hostMatchesTarget); first
dispatch arm runs `sx ir`, sets act_exit/act_err/act_ir; skip stdout in both
update and verify modes; require ir_raw.
- lock fixture 1639-platform-target-cross (asm-free main, target x86_64-linux,
checked-in .ir). Verified: corrupt .ir => IR mismatch; delete .ir => require
failure.
Test-infra only; no compiler code. zig build test green (647 corpus, 444 unit).
A parse error raised while resolving an `#import` was rendered against the
ROOT file's source — the caret landed on an unrelated line (often a comment)
even though the message named the correct imported file.
Two compounding causes:
- core.zig wired `diagnostics.import_sources` only AFTER import resolution
returned, but a parse error aborts mid-resolution (before that wiring), so
the renderer had no imported sources and fell back to the root file. Wire it
(and seed the main-file source) BEFORE resolving.
- imports.zig emitted the diagnostic at the importer's `#import` span instead
of the parser's actual error offset inside the imported file, and didn't pin
the diagnostic's source_file to that file.
parser.zig now records `err_end` alongside `err_offset` for a proper caret
width. New `DiagnosticList.addFmtInFile` renders against an explicit source
file; imports.zig uses it with `importErrSpan(&p)`.
Regression test: examples/1176-diagnostics-import-parse-error-location
(importer + deliberately-broken companion; caret must land in the companion).
Two post-stream follow-ups flagged in CHECKPOINT-EXTERN-EXPORT.md, plus a
reproducible vscode-extension packaging setup:
- parser: drop the vestigial `RuntimeClassPrefix.is_extern` field and
`parseRuntimeClassDecl`'s `is_extern` param. Always false since the
`#foreign` token was deleted; the postfix `extern`/`export` keyword is the
sole reference-vs-define decider. No behavior change (644 corpus / 442 unit).
- vscode grammar: highlight `extern`/`export` as `storage.modifier.sx`.
- vscode packaging: declare `@vscode/vsce` as a devDep + add `package` /
`vscode:prepublish` scripts so the vsix rebuilds reproducibly (was an
ambient tool). Add repository/homepage/bugs (Gitea), icon (swipelab logo,
256x256), galleryBanner, README with cover banner. Rebuilt the vsix.
Per user directive (total purge): remove the hash_foreign token entirely rather than
keep it for a friendly deprecation message. Deleted: the token enum (token.zig), the
lexer keyword entry + directive-list mention + lex test (lexer.zig), the 4 parser
rejection sites + 2 lookahead clauses + the runtime-class prefix #foreign peek arm
(parser.zig), and the lsp completion arm (server.zig). '#foreign' now lexes as an
invalid '#' token → a generic 'expected ;' parse error (no migration hint — the
accepted UX cost of zero-foreign). Deleted examples/1176-diagnostics-foreign-removed
(its purpose, the friendly rejection, no longer exists).
src/ now contains ZERO 'foreign' (case-insensitive). Suite green (645 corpus / 443
unit, 0 failed). Remaining for the 9.4 gate: issues/*.md prose + example filenames.
Reword every 'foreign' comment to the extern/runtime-class vocabulary matching the
renamed identifiers (foreign call→extern call, foreign class→runtime class, foreign
path→runtime path, the #foreign-literal comment mentions → extern, etc.). Also fixes
two USER-FACING issues: the 'expected … #foreign … after type annotation' parse error
no longer advertises the removed keyword, and the Android 'no #jni_main' help
diagnostic now shows '#jni_class(…) extern' instead of the rejected '#foreign
#jni_class'. Removed the now-dead prefix-#foreign-vs-postfix conflict branch in
parseRuntimeClassDecl (the caller rejects #foreign before it runs).
src/ now contains 'foreign' ONLY in the hash_foreign token machinery + its 4
rejection messages — the deprecation mechanism (kept per the 9.0 recommendation; the
message MUST name #foreign to guide migration). Snapshot-neutral; suite green
(646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed).
The JNI/runtime-class path (Decision 5, Runtime* family). Coordinated across the
hook boundary so the BuildOptions accessor + its registered hook string stay in sync:
- src/: RuntimeClassDecl.foreign_path→runtime_path, splitForeignPath→splitRuntimePath,
foreignPathToJavaName→runtimePathToJavaName, jni_main_foreign_paths→
jni_main_runtime_paths, hookJniMainForeignPathAt→hookJniMainRuntimePathAt, and the
hook string 'BuildOptions.jni_main_foreign_path_at'→'…runtime_path_at'.
- library/: build.sx accessor jni_main_foreign_path_at→jni_main_runtime_path_at +
bundle.sx call sites + the local var → runtime_path + a comment.
- specs.md: the accessor name + <foreign_path_with_dots> doc refs.
- Regenerated 37 .ir snapshots: every program importing build declares the renamed
@BuildOptions.jni_main_runtime_path_at hook stub — symbol-name change only (verified
the .ir diff is ONLY this rename; reverted orthogonal empty-file normalization).
Suite green (646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed).
Per user feedback: don't introduce new terminology. The RuntimeClassDecl
reference-vs-define flag (set by the postfix 'extern' modifier, == old prefix
'#foreign #objc_class') is named is_extern, matching the keyword that drives it
and the existing is_extern on VarDecl/IR. Renamed is_reference→is_extern,
is_reference_eff→is_extern_eff; updated the field comment. Snapshot-neutral; green.
checkForeignRefs→checkExternRefs, validateForeignRefs→validateExternRefs,
collectForeignRefTargets→collectExternRefTargets — these police 'extern LIB' library
references (linkage axis), so Extern not Runtime. Snapshot-neutral; suite green.
The runtime-class object-model identifiers (Decision 5): parse/lower/find/resolve/
register/stamp fns Foreign→Runtime (parseRuntimeClassDecl, lowerRuntimeMethodCall,
findRuntimeMethodInChain, resolveRuntimeMethodReturnType, registerRuntimeClassDecl,
runtimeClassStructType, runtimeKindForOffset, …); state foreign_class_map→
runtime_class_map, current_foreign_class/_method→current_runtime_*, the
foreign_class_decl union variant→runtime_class_decl, foreign_method/static/instance/
class→runtime_*; and the reference-vs-define flag is_foreign→is_reference (+
is_foreign_eff→is_reference_eff) now that it only lives on RuntimeClassDecl.
Snapshot-neutral; suite green (646/444).
Remaining 9.2: the foreign_path family (coupled .sx hooks: jni_main_foreign_path_at
spans build.sx/bundle.sx/compiler_hooks.zig/specs.md) + the extern-ref validators
(checkForeignRefs etc. → Extern, linkage not runtime) + bare 'foreign' comments.
The last linkage-family 'foreign' carrier. Migrated c_import.zig auto-synthesis
(#import c {#include}) to build the extern shape (empty-block body + extern_export
= .extern_) instead of a foreign_expr body — the Phase 5.0 fn-body flip applied to
auto-synth. With nothing left building it, deleted the foreign_expr union variant +
ForeignExpr struct (ast.zig) and every reader: the dead-arm switch cases (sema,
resolver, generic, call, semantic_diagnostics, lsp), the coalescing reads in
decl.zig (is_foreign local, cc/rename/dedup/variadic/visibility gates) + pack.zig,
and checkForeignRefs (now reads extern_lib only). 9.1 LINKAGE PURGE COMPLETE — all
that remains in src/ is the runtime-class family (9.2) + comments. Snapshot-neutral
(the #import c examples 1215/1216/1217 + sqlite 1624 exercise the synth path); suite
green (646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed).
VarDecl carried BOTH the legacy is_foreign/foreign_lib/foreign_name AND the new
is_extern/extern_lib/extern_name (parallel forms coalesced during the migration).
The global #foreign parse path now rejects, so the legacy trio is write-dead and
read in only 3 coalescing sites (decl.zig). Simplified those readers
(vd.extern_name orelse vd.name; vd.is_extern) and deleted the dead fields. Build
confirms no other setter/reader. Snapshot-neutral; suite green (646/444).
Remaining linkage (9.1): foreign_expr (25, still built by c_import.zig auto-synth)
+ ForeignClassDecl.is_foreign (runtime-class, → 9.2). Runtime-class family (9.2,
Decision 5) is the big remaining src/ rename.
The dup-C-symbol diagnostic (decl.zig) and the resolveFuncByName panic (call.zig)
now say 'extern symbol' instead of 'foreign symbol' — the keyword-neutral internal
wording catches up to the extern-only surface. Intentional snapshot regen of 1172
(the only assertion of this message). Suite green (646/444).
Mechanical src/ rename of the linkage-family identifiers whose extern_* target is
collision-free: callForeign→callExtern, marshalForeignArg→marshalExternArg,
dedupeForeignSymbol→dedupeExternSymbol, foreign_name_map→extern_name_map,
is_foreign_c_api→is_extern_c_api. Snapshot-neutral (internal only); suite green
(646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed).
Deferred (need per-site analysis — target name already exists): is_foreign↔is_extern
(38 existing), foreign_lib/foreign_name↔extern_lib/extern_name (15/16 existing),
foreign_expr (still built by c_import.zig auto-synthesis). Runtime-class family
(ForeignClassDecl etc. → Runtime*, Decision 5) is Phase 9.2.
The prefix #foreign linkage directive is removed. All four parse sites
(const-with-type, data global, fn body, runtime-class prefix) now reject it with
a migration message ('#foreign has been removed; use the postfix extern (import) /
export (define) linkage keyword instead'); added a span-aware failAt for the
runtime-class case (the lookahead consumes the token before the reject decision).
Greens the Phase 8.0 xfail 1176.
- Deleted obsolete tests: 1174 (#foreign+postfix conflict — unreachable now that
#foreign alone is rejected) and 1620 (#foreign nosuchunit lib-ref — superseded by
the extern twin 1231). Their assertions tested #foreign-specific behavior.
- Removed the GATE A→B unit test + lowerSrcToIr helper (lower.test.zig): it locked
#foreign ≡ extern through the migration; with #foreign gone there is nothing to
compare. Converted the in-source 'parse void function with foreign body' parser
test to the surviving postfix 'extern' spelling (identical resulting AST).
- specs.md + readme.md drop #foreign; document extern/export as the sole C-linkage
surface.
extern_export in parseFnDecl is now const (the fn-body arm that mutated it is gone).
Suite green (646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed). NOTE: comment-only #foreign in
examples + issues/*.md prose + internal foreign_* identifiers remain for Phase 9
(now unblocked: Decision 6 = purge everything).
Phase 5.0 flipped the fn-decl and data-global #foreign parser paths onto the
same extern-named AST that postfix extern produces, so the A→B gate's fn/global
cases are now STRUCTURALLY identical (guaranteed by construction, not empirically
equal). Annotate the gate header to record this and keep it as a regression
tripwire against a future reader re-diverging the two spellings or a revert of
the flip. Add a fn-rename case (extern_name axis: c_abs -> "abs") to broaden
coverage beyond bare import. Test-only; suite green (647 corpus / 444 unit, 0
failed). PHASE 5.1 COMPLETE → PART B Phase 5 done; next Phase 6 (migrate stdlib).
The fn-body `#foreign [LIB] ["csym"]` marker now builds the SAME shape postfix
`extern` produces — extern_export = .extern_ + extern_lib/extern_name + an
empty-block body — instead of a `foreign_expr` body. With all four prereqs
landed (visibility, variadic, plain-free classification, lib-ref validation),
every downstream reader coalesces is_foreign with extern_export, so the IR and
runtime behavior are byte-identical (full corpus + the A->B gate stay green).
The surface keyword is no longer on the AST, so a `#foreign`-spelled decl now
yields `extern`-worded diagnostics — the single accepted churn (Decision 7):
example 1620's lib-ref error flips '#foreign library' -> 'extern library'.
Parser-surface diagnostics (conflict/expected-token) fire on the literal keyword
and are unaffected. c_import auto-synthesis still emits foreign_expr bodies (not
this step), so both shapes still coexist. Parser unit test updated to assert the
extern shape.
647 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed. The const-with-type (dead) + runtime-class
(already coalesced) paths need no flip — Phase 5.0 parser routing is complete.
checkForeignRefs now reads a library reference from either spelling — the
legacy #foreign body (foreign_expr.library_ref) or the new extern keyword
(extern_lib) — and validates both against the declared #library / #import c
units. The diagnostic names the surface keyword the user wrote (#foreign vs
extern), so example 1620 (#foreign) is byte-unchanged and example 1231
(extern) gets the parallel 'extern library ... not declared'. Greens 1231.
647 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed.
isPlainFreeFn / isPlainFreeFnDecl excluded a #foreign body but classified
an empty-block extern fn as a plain free function, so existing extern fns
were wrongly counted in the bare-call ambiguity verdict (and eligible for
the out-of-line-slot / shadow-author pass). Both predicates now also
exclude extern_export == .extern_ (an external C symbol with no
sx-lowerable body, name-keyed first-wins dispatch like #foreign); export
keeps a real body and stays plain-free. Greens example 1230 — same-name
extern authors compile like their #foreign twins (0729).
646 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed.
Two gates were keyed on the `#foreign` (foreign_expr) body shape only:
- declareFunction: the is_variadic drop (decl.zig) — a variadic extern
kept its trailing slice param in the IR signature.
- packVariadicCallArgs: the call-site early-out (pack.zig) — extras were
slice-packed instead of passed through the C `...` slot.
Both now also fire for `extern_export == .extern_`, so a variadic
`extern` drops the trailing `..args: []T`, sets is_variadic, and passes
extras through the C ABI with default argument promotion — byte-identical
to its `#foreign` twin. Greens example 1229.
645 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed.
The non-transitive C-import visibility gate (`isVisible(.c_import_bare)`)
only recognised the legacy `#foreign` body shape; a bare `extern` fn
(empty-block body + extern_export == .extern_) escaped via the
`body != foreign_expr -> return true` arm and was caught only by the
general isNameVisible gate, yielding the generic 'not visible' wording
instead of the C-specific 'C function not visible; add #import' one.
Now both lib-less spellings route to visibleOverEdges, and a library-
bound `extern LIB` (like a library-bound `#foreign LIB`) stays
unconditionally visible. This makes a future fn-decl `#foreign`->`extern`
migration byte-identical at this gate. Greens example 1228.
644 corpus / 444 unit, 0 failed.
Part B begins: `#foreign` becomes an alias for `extern`. First of the four
`#foreign` parser paths to migrate — the data-global form
(`name : T #foreign [lib] ["csym"];`). It now builds the SAME extern-named
VarDecl (`is_extern`/`extern_lib`/`extern_name`) that the postfix `extern`
global path already produces, instead of `is_foreign`/`foreign_lib`/`foreign_name`.
Behavior-preserving: lowering coalesces the two forms identically — the symbol
name is `extern_name orelse foreign_name orelse name` (decl.zig:1119), and both
`is_foreign` and `is_extern` feed the same `.is_extern` IR flag + early-return
(decl.zig:1127,1141). The A->B gate already proved fn/global/class lower to
byte-identical IR, so the corpus locks this with zero snapshot churn.
Suite green: 10/10 steps, 444/444 unit, 643 corpus, 0 failed.
The fn-decl, const-with-type, and runtime-class `#foreign` paths still build the
legacy AST; they migrate next (the fn path needs the deferred visibility-gate +
variadic alignment first).
The define path now honors the optional `export … "csym"` symbol-name
override (gap iii). declareFunction's rename branch fires for `export` too:
the extern stub is declared under the C name and the sx→C mapping recorded
in foreign_name_map. lazyLowerFunction then resolves the stub by that C
name (via foreign_name_map) so the body promotes into the C-named function
— emitting `define @triple_c` instead of `@sx_triple`. sx-side call sites
to the sx name resolve through the same map (verified: 5*5 prints 25).
example/1227 greens: the companion C calls `triple_c` and prints
call_triple(7) = 22. Bare export (1226) is unaffected (no rename → sx
name). Suite green (638 corpus / 443 unit). Phase 2 (`export`) complete.
`export` (define + expose) now lowers to a defined C-ABI symbol with
external linkage and no implicit sx context — the four export-gap
conditions in src/ir/lower/decl.zig:
- (i) linkage: force `.external` for `extern_export == .export_` on both
define paths (lowerFunctionBodyInto, lowerFunction), beside the
OS-called entry points.
- (ii) C ABI: promote call_conv to `.c` on the define paths and in the
declareFunction extern-stub cc.
- (iv) no ctx: funcWantsImplicitCtx returns false for any non-`.none`
modifier (extern AND export), so no `__sx_ctx` slot is prepended.
- force-lower: an `export` fn is a lowering root (like `main`) in
lowerMainAndComptime — its purpose is external consumption, so it must
emit a body even when no sx code calls it; otherwise lazy lowering
leaves it a bodiless `declare`.
example/1226 now builds + runs via the AOT corpus mode: the companion C
calls `sx_square` by name and prints 37 / 82. Suite green (637 corpus /
443 unit). The optional `export "csym"` rename (gap iii) is Phase 2.2.
Phase 2 of the extern/export stream verifies `export` (define + expose a
C-ABI sx symbol) end-to-end. C->sx-by-name linkage cannot work under the
corpus's `sx run` JIT mode — a JIT-resident symbol is invisible to a
dlopen'd C dylib's flat-namespace lookup — so this lands a new AOT
execution mode for the corpus: an `expected/<name>.aot` marker switches an
example from JIT `sx run` to a `sx build` + execute flow, linking the sx
object with its C `#source` companions into a native binary.
example/1226 defines `sx_square :: (n: i32) -> i32 export { ... }` and a
companion .c that declares `extern int sx_square(int)` and calls it back.
RED: with `export` not yet lowered, the AOT link fails with an undefined
`_sx_square` (the define path still emits it `internal` + with an implicit
ctx slot, and lazy lowering leaves an uncalled export fn as a bodiless
declare). Phase 2.1 greens it.
Also retires the standalone `tests/run_examples.sh` runner — `zig build
test` (src/corpus_run.test.zig) is now the sole corpus runner, and the
shell mirror would have needed its own AOT-mode port to stay in lockstep.
verify-step.sh drops its redundant step (zig build test already runs the
corpus); CLAUDE.md documents the `.aot` mode.
Parser: a 'kw_extern' branch in the var-decl-with-type-annotation path
(beside #foreign) parses 'name : type extern [LIB] ["csym"];' into
VarDecl.is_extern/extern_lib/extern_name; the trailing diagnostic now
lists 'extern'. Lowering: registerTopLevelGlobal uses
extern_name orelse foreign_name orelse name for the C symbol and sets
is_extern = is_foreign or is_extern; globalInitValue returns null (no
initializer) for extern globals too.
examples/1225 green: '__stdinp : *void extern;' lowers to
'@__stdinp = external global ptr'; @__stdinp reads non-null. Suite
green (636 corpus / 443 unit).
Phase 1 done: extern functions (bare + rename) and data globals (bare +
rename) all work, behavior-equivalent to the matching #foreign form.
export (Phase 2), aggregates (Phase 3), docs + A->B gate (Phase 4)
remain. green commit.
parseFnDecl parses the optional [LIB] ["csym"] tail after the
extern/export keyword into FnDecl.extern_lib/extern_name (mirrors
'#foreign LIB "csym"'). declareFunction unifies the symbol-name
override: rename_c_name = foreign_expr.c_name (for #foreign) OR
fd.extern_name (for extern) -> declare under the C name and map sx->C
in foreign_name_map; the dedupe guard now covers extern too.
examples/1224 green: 'c_abs :: (n) -> i32 extern "abs";' resolves
c_abs to libc abs -> c_abs(-42) = 42. 1223 (bare extern) unregressed.
Suite green (635 corpus / 443 unit).
extern_lib is parsed + stored but not a linking driver — like
'#foreign libc', it references a lib; the #library decl + build flags
remain the separate linking axis (decision 4). green commit.
Route a bare 'extern' fn declare-only, exactly like a lib-less #foreign
import. Six edits in decl.zig, each mirroring an existing foreign_expr
guard so the empty-block placeholder body is never lowered:
1. funcWantsImplicitCtx: suppress the implicit __sx_ctx for .extern_
2. declareFunction: add is_extern_decl
3. ...and include it in the C-ABI calling-convention promotion
4. lazyLowerFunction: .extern_ -> declareFunction (declare-only)
5. lowerFunction: .extern_ in the declare-only guard
6. lowerFunctionBodyInto: never promote/lower an extern stub
examples/1223 now green: 'extern' abs lowers to 'declare i32 @abs(i32)'
(external linkage, C ABI, no ctx param) and the call resolves against
the default-linked libc -> abs(-7)=7, abs(42)=42. The 1.0b hand-authored
snapshot matched byte-exact (no regen). Suite green (634 corpus / 443
unit). green commit (makes the 1.0b xfail pass; adds no new test).
