diff --git a/src/GF/Devel/gf-code.txt b/src/GF/Devel/gf-code.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e8954bedf --- /dev/null +++ b/src/GF/Devel/gf-code.txt @@ -0,0 +1,66 @@ +Guide to GF Implementation Code +Aarne Ranta + + + +This document describes the code in GF grammar compiler and interactive +environment. It is aimed to cover well the implementation of the forthcoming +GF3. In comparison to GF 2.8, this implementation uses +- the same source language, GF (only slightly modified) +- a different run-time target language, GFCC (instead of GFCM) +- a different separate compilation target language (a fragment GF itself, + instead of GFC) +- a different internal representation of source code + + +Apart from GFCC, the goal of GF3 is simplification and consolidation, rather +than innovation. This is shown in particular in the abolition of GFC, and in +the streamlined internal source code format. The insight needed to achieve +these simplifications would not have been possible (at least for us) without +years of experimenting with the more messy formats; those formats moreover +grew organically when features were added to the GF language, and the old +implementation was thus a result of evolution rather than careful planning. + +GF3 is planned to be released in an Alpha version in the end of 2007, its +sources forming a part of GF release 2.9. + +There are currently two versions of GF3, as regards executables and ``make`` +items: +- ``gf3``, using the old internal representation of source language, and + integrating a compiler from GF to GFCC and an interpreter of GFCC +- ``testgf3``, using the new formats everywhere but implementing the compiler + only; this program does not yet yield reasonable output + + +The descriptions below will target the newest ideas, that is, ``textgf3`` +whenever it differs from ``gf3``. + + +==The structure of the code== + +Code that is not shared with GF 2.8 is located in subdirectories of +``GF/Devel/``. Those subdirectories will, however, be moved one level +up. Currently they include +- ``GF/Devel/Grammar``: the datatypes and basic operations of source code +- ``GF/Devel/Compile``: the phases of compiling GF to GFCC + + +The other directories involved are +- ``GF/GFCC``: data types and functionalities of GFCC +- ``GF/Infra``: infrastructure utilities for the implementation +- ``GF/Data``: datastructures belonging to infrastructure + + +==The source code implementation== + +==The compiler== + +==The GFCC interpreter== + +==The GF command interpreter== + + + + + +