[vim/vim] Vim9script internals, how to read the source code and in what order (Discussion #13543)

[stefanos]

I'm fascinated by programming languages and I always find myself digging deep in their internals to learn how each creator implements specific language features they may find interesting.

In case of Vim's scripting language, how do I read the source code to familiarize myself with it?

With the implementation of vim9script, I can see we have added "primitive" types and class objects and I would like to see how they have improve the whole performance and / or what type of bytecode or native code they generate behind the scenes.

Are there any plans to write in the near future anything like PHP's internals book?

—
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub.
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: <vim/vim/repo-discussions/13543@github.com>

[Yegappan Lakshmanan]

Hi,

On Sat, Nov 18, 2023 at 3:14 AM stefanos <vim-dev...@256bit.org> wrote:

I'm fascinated by programming languages and I always find myself digging deep in their internals to learn how each creator implements specific language features they may find interesting.

In case of Vim's scripting language, how do I read the source code to familiarize myself with it?

For Vim9 script support, you can go through the following source files:

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9compile.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9expr.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9execute.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9instr.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9script.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9cmds.c

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9class.c

For Vim9 def function compilation, you can start with the compile_def_function() function.

For Vim9 script execution, you can start with the exec_instructions() function.

With the implementation of vim9script, I can see we have added "primitive" types and class objects and I would like to see how they have improve the whole performance and / or what type of bytecode or native code they generate behind the scenes.

Only code in def functions are compiled and converted to bytecode.  You can use the 'defcompile'

and 'disassemble <def function name>' command  to see the generated bytecode.  Example:

vim9script

def Foo()

   var i = 10

   i = i + 20

enddef

defcompile

disassemble Foo

 

Are there any plans to write in the near future anything like PHP's internals book?

There are currently no plans to write an internal book.

Regards,

Yegappan

[vim-dev ML]

Hi,

On Sat, Nov 18, 2023 at 3:14 AM stefanos ***@***.***> wrote:

> I'm fascinated by programming languages and I always find myself digging
> deep in their internals to learn how each creator implements specific
> language features they may find interesting.
>
> In case of Vim's scripting language, how do I read the source code to
> familiarize myself with it?
>

For Vim9 script support, you can go through the following source files:

https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9compile.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9expr.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9execute.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9instr.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9script.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9cmds.c
https://github.com/vim/vim/blob/master/src/vim9class.c

For Vim9 def function compilation, you can start with the
compile_def_function() function.
For Vim9 script execution, you can start with the exec_instructions()
function.

With the implementation of vim9script, I can see we have added "primitive"
> types and class objects and I would like to see how they have improve the
> whole performance and / or what type of bytecode or native code they
> generate behind the scenes.
>

Only code in def functions are compiled and converted to bytecode. You can
use the 'defcompile'
and 'disassemble <def function name>' command to see the generated
bytecode. Example:

vim9script

def Foo()
var i = 10
i = i + 20
enddef
defcompile
disassemble Foo

> Are there any plans to write in the near future anything like PHP's internals

> book <https://www.phpinternalsbook.com/>?

>
>
> There are currently no plans to write an internal book.

Regards,
Yegappan

—
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub,.
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: <vim/vim/repo-discussions/13543/comments/7607050@github.com>

[stefanos]

Thank you @vim-ml for your valuable reply!

—
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub,.
You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: <vim/vim/repo-discussions/13543/comments/7608055@github.com>