Hephaestus Language Tools

This is both an exploration of compilation through the C Programming Language, as well as an attempt to make a simple interface for making programming languages.

I've used Lexer, Yacc, and Bison to do some Language Definitions but I find it... annoyingly complex.

So. The idea is a simplified tool kit for interacting with "languages" or text, whatever it may be.

---

That means:

• Easy Interoperibility: You should be able to pick and choose the tool you'd like to use.
  • Hate my lexer, but love my parsers? This project should be able to interact with others fine.
  • This will be last on my TODO list though, considering the scale of what I'm trying here 💀
• Simple Interface: That means that defining vocab or parse files is simply that, a vocab or parse file.
  • No programming random actions in C attached to each step.
  • While I do know this lowers the amount of actions open to a developer, this is meant to be a simple Yacc/Bison/Whatever.
  • Devs with more complicated needs can switch to one of those or contribute their need into this codebase.
• Simple and Clear Options:
  • Still defining your language? Need to be loose with your rules? Keep them in separate .vocab, .parse, .semants files.
  • Want to ship a stand-alone compiler? Either define it as a string in your code, or manually define your rules.

I also would like to make this a modern toolset:

• w/ Tests to ensure correctness
• w/ Proper documentation
• w/ Ease to learn/master
• w/ Can be used to teach language concepts
  • TBH, the entire reason for this project was my annoyance at my college class using these outdated tools like yacc and bison with their 90s ass websites.
  • Those don't EVEN COMPILE INTO A SINGLE FILE, THEY COMPILE INTO C FIRST MAKING ERRORS SO DIFFICULT TO FUCKING FIND!!!!!
  • This is a skill issue. Moving on.

---

TODO List:

1. "Lexic" Tokenizer
2. "Syntac" Parsers
   1. Top-Down LL(1)
   2. Bottom-Up LR(0)
   3. Bottom-Up SLR --Not Sure I want to actually make this one
   4. Bottom-Up LR(1)
3. "Semant" Abstract Tree Generator
4. (maybe) Backend. Though perhaps I will simply point you guys to QBE? This would get 100x bigger if I decided to take that on.