Self-hosting compiler

This task has been flagged for clarification due to it being believed to be too difficult to implement in a reasonable amount of effort in more than one (usually very specialised) language. It may need to be divided into multiple tasks or modified substantially so that multiple implementations are practical, and that may cause code on this page in its current state to be flagged incorrect afterwards. See this page's Talk page for discussion.


Implement a self-hosting compiler for your language, i.e.:   create a compiler that is implemented in the language it's supposed to compile.

Self-hosting compiler is a draft programming task. It is not yet considered ready to be promoted as a complete task, for reasons that should be found in its talk page.

Extra credit for any solution that can compile in an online compiler such as Ideone.

If this isn't feasible due to language complexity, link to external projects that achieve this task.

ALGOL 68

The Algol 68 to C compiler available here: https://github.com/sdolim/algol68toc is written in ALGOL 68 and compiles itself. It is derived from the ALGOL 68RS compiler.

ATS

ATS2 is not self-hosting, but ATS1 (in which ATS2 is written) is. The source repository is here: https://github.com/githwxi/ATS-Anairiats

BaCon

BaCon is a BASIC to C converter and it is implemented in itself. Also it can compile itself since version 0.110. Source code can be downloaded from here.

C#

The official (Microsoft) C# compiler became self-hosting in 2011 and can be found (along with the self-hosting VB.NET compiler) at [1].

The older Mono C# compiler, currently backed by the .NET Foundation, can be found at [2]. There is also a (much newer) Mono VB compiler.

FreeBASIC

Essentially, FreeBASIC consists of two parts:

 1. The FreeBASIC compiler, written in FreeBASIC (self-hosting). Compiling this requires a working FreeBASIC installation.
 2. The FreeBASIC runtime libraries, written in C. Compiling this requires a C compiler such as gcc, the GNU C compiler (Native gcc on Linux, MinGW on Windows, DJGPP for DOS).

FreeBASIC is a self-hosting compiler, being roughly 120,000 lines of code (compiler core only, not including libraries).

Source code can be downloaded from https://freebasic.net/wiki/DevBuild.

Free Pascal

Free Pascal is a self-hosting compiler for many platforms. [3]

Go

The principal Go compiler was originally written in C but from version 1.5 became entirely self-hosting (with a little assembler).

The source code for the current version can be viewed here.

There is also a second compiler 'gccgo' which is part of the GNU Compiler Collection. However, this compiler is written in C++.

J

do =: ".
STDIN =: 1
do read STDIN

   NB. example:
   ".1!:1[1
((,~}:)~|.)'Go hang a salami '
Go hang a salami imalas a gnah oG

Kotlin

The Kotlin compiler is partly self-hosted (the rest is written in Java) and the current version (1.1.2), released in April 2017, is the culmination of about 7 years of development by a large team of people at JetBrains and open source contributors.

Any one who is interested can view the code for the compiler at https://github.com/jetbrains/kotlin.

Lingo

Propably not how the task was meant by the OP, but if "compiling code at runtime" counts, here Lingo's capabilities to do this:

m = new(#script)

-- automatically triggers compilation to byte code
m.scriptText = "on foo ()"&RETURN&\
"  repeat with i = 1 to 3"&RETURN&\
"    put i"&RETURN&\
"  end repeat"&RETURN&\
"end"

-- can be called immediately
foo()
-- 1
-- 2
-- 3

-- for direct execution of simple code there is also the do() function
do("put _system.milliseconds")
-- 22476580

Nim

Nim compiler is written in Nim and can be found here: https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim.

Phix

Phix is self hosted. Run "p -c p" and it rebuilds itself in about 15 seconds. One of my favourite parlour tricks is to then run "p p p p p p p p -cp" which stacks seven interpreted copies of itself on top of each other with the last recompiling itself, and apart from a slightly longer startup time, no slower than the shorter command.

Plain English

Plain English is self-hosted. The Osmosian Order of Plain English Programmers claim that Plain English can recompile itself in 3 seconds. Instructions for recompiling Plain English can be found in the instructions.pdf.

Python

The PyPy project has implemented Python using the Python language. The most popular Python interpreter is CPython, which is implemented in C.

Quackery

The Quackery language is an extensible assembler for a Quackery Engine. The Quackery Engine has a memory model based on dynamic arrays and bignums, so presumes comprehensive hardware support for these features.

Program execution consists of the Quackery Processor traversing directed tree-like graphs built from dynamic arrays ("Nests" in the Quackery nomenclature) containing Operators (op-codes), Numbers (pointers to bignums) and pointers to Nests. The Quackery processor is stack-based rather than register-based.

Programming in Quackery consists of extending the predefined graphs that constitute the Quackery environment.

The Python 3 implementation at Github of a virtual Quackery Engine uses Python lists as Nests, Python functions as Operators and Python ints as Numbers.

The Quackery processor and a basic Quackery compiler are coded in Python 3, and the Python Quackery compiler is used to compile the Quackery environment, which is written in Quackery and includes a more fully featured (and extensible) Quackery compiler, which is available to the Quackery programmer.

That the Quackery language has similarities to Forth (also an extensible assembler for a stack processor), that it leans on Python for support for dynamic arrays and bignums, and that the majority of Quackery is written in Quackery all make for a very compact implementation, under 48k of source code. The downsides are that it is rather slow by modern standards, and that it is by no means "fully featured".

(In its defence it is possible to understand the entirety of Quackery in short order, and, once the hurdle of Reverse Polish Notation has been passed, program development with the interactive environment (the Quackery Shell) is quick and rewarding. Quackery is intended primarily for recreational and educational programming, and is a relatively painless introduction to the concatenative programming paradigm.)

The relevant file at GitHub is quackery.py [4]

Raku

(formerly Perl 6)

use MONKEY-SEE-NO-EVAL;
EVAL slurp

Rust

Since 2010, the Rust compiler has consisted of a self-hosting compiler frontend built on top of LLVM.

A code generator named Cranelift, written in Rust, is currently under development with one of its goals being to serve as an alternative to LLVM for debug builds which can provide a better balance between compile time and runtime performance.

Scala

The Scala compiler is totally written in Scala and compiles itself. The code is sourced and maintained in GitHub repsitory.

Visual Basic .NET

The official (Microsoft) VB.NET compiler became self-hosting in 2011 and can be found (along with the self-hosting C# compiler) at [5].

.NET Mono also has a relatively new VB.NET compiler, which can be found at [6]. There is also an older Mono C# compiler.

Wren

Although Wren is an interpreted language, source code is not interpreted directly. Instead a single pass compiler first converts the source code into a simple stack-based bytecode which is then interpreted by the virtual machine (VM).

The advantage of this is that syntax errors are flagged before the script even runs and (in unison with several other factors) subsequent interpretation is faster than it would otherwise have been.

The VM (which includes the bytecode compiler) and the command line interpreter (which enables Wren scripts to be run independently) are written in C. Most of the core library is also written in C though parts of it are written in Wren itself. Frankly, in the interests of speed and because Wren is primarily intended as an embedded scripting language, self-hosting is never going to happen.

Note, however, that Wren can compile Wren source code at runtime using the Meta.compile method.

ZED

Source -> Compiled -> http://ideone.com/UHMQco

(*) number1 number2
comment:
#true
(003) "*" number1 number2

(+) number1 number2
comment:
#true
(003) "+" number1 number2

(-) number1 number2
comment:
#true
(003) "-" number1 numbe2

(/) number1 number2
comment:
#true
(003) "/" number1 number2

(=) "value1" "value2"
comment:
#true
(003) "eqv?" "value1" "value2"

(add-between!) "item" "list" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
"collect"

(add-between!) "item" "list" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "list"
(003) "cons" (002) "car" "list" "collect"

(add-between!) "item" "list" "collect"
comment:
#true
(add-between!) "item" 
               (002) "cdr" "list" 
               (003) "cons" "item" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "list" "collect"

(add-between) "item" "list"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (add-between!) "item" "list" nil

(add-between-ra) "list" "item"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (add-between!) "item" "list" nil

(alpha)
comment:
#true
(write-all) (rd) nil 
                 "append" 
                 (rd) nil "append" (newlines) 
                                    (by-four) 
                                     (function-sort) 
                                      (sentences) 
                                       (leading-newline) 
                                        (space-newline) 
                                         (tab-replace) 
                                          (newline-space-tab-repeats)
                                           (newline-space) 
                                            (filter) not-return? 
                                                     (replace-trailing-white-space) (read-all)

(application?) "expression"
comment:
#true
(004) "and" (002) "not" (002) "null?" "expression" 
            (002) "pair?" (002) "car" "expression" 
            (002) "null?" (002) "cdar" "expression"

(arity) "arity-hash" "function"
comment:
#true
(002) "cdr" (003) "assoc" "function" "arity-hash"

(arity-hash!) "clause"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (clause-name) "clause" (clause-arity) "clause"

(arity-hash) "program"
comment:
#true
(003) "append" (003) "map" arity-hash! "program" (003) "append" (009) "list" (003) "cons" "'ZED1" 1 (003) "cons" "'ZED!" 1 (003) "cons" "'ZED001" 1 (003) "cons" "'or" 2 (003) "cons" "'and" 2 (003) "cons" "'begin" 2 (003) "cons" "'ZEDc" 2 (003) "cons" "'quote" 1 (099) "list" (003) "cons" "'ZED002" 2 (003) "cons" "'ZED003" 3 (003) "cons" "'ZED004" 4 (003) "cons" "'ZED005" 5 (003) "cons" "'ZED006" 6 (003) "cons" "'ZED007" 7 (003) "cons" "'ZED008" 8 (003) "cons" "'ZED009" 9 (003) "cons" "'ZED010" 10 (003) "cons" "'ZED011" 11 (003) "cons" "'ZED012" 12 (003) "cons" "'ZED013" 13 (003) "cons" "'ZED014" 14 (003) "cons" "'ZED015" 15 (003) "cons" "'ZED016" 16 (003) "cons" "'ZED017" 17 (003) "cons" "'ZED018" 18 (003) "cons" "'ZED019" 19 (003) "cons" "'ZED020" 20 (003) "cons" "'ZED021" 21 (003) "cons" "'ZED022" 22 (003) "cons" "'ZED023" 23 (003) "cons" "'ZED024" 24 (003) "cons" "'ZED025" 25 (003) "cons" "'ZED026" 26 (003) "cons" "'ZED027" 27 (003) "cons" "'ZED028" 28 (003) "cons" "'ZED029" 29 (003) "cons" "'ZED030" 30 (003) "cons" "'ZED031" 31 (003) "cons" "'ZED032" 32 (003) "cons" "'ZED033" 33 (003) "cons" "'ZED034" 34 (003) "cons" "'ZED035" 35 (003) "cons" "'ZED036" 36 (003) "cons" "'ZED037" 37 (003) "cons" "'ZED038" 38 (003) "cons" "'ZED039" 39 (003) "cons" "'ZED040" 40 (003) "cons" "'ZED041" 41 (003) "cons" "'ZED042" 42 (003) "cons" "'ZED043" 43 (003) "cons" "'ZED044" 44 (003) "cons" "'ZED045" 45 (003) "cons" "'ZED046" 46 (003) "cons" "'ZED047" 47 (003) "cons" "'ZED048" 48 (003) "cons" "'ZED049" 49 (003) "cons" "'ZED050" 50 (003) "cons" "'ZED051" 51 (003) "cons" "'ZED052" 52 (003) "cons" "'ZED053" 53 (003) "cons" "'ZED054" 54 (003) "cons" "'ZED055" 55 (003) "cons" "'ZED056" 56 (003) "cons" "'ZED057" 57 (003) "cons" "'ZED058" 58 (003) "cons" "'ZED059" 59 (003) "cons" "'ZED060" 60 (003) "cons" "'ZED061" 61 (003) "cons" "'ZED062" 62 (003) "cons" "'ZED063" 63 (003) "cons" "'ZED064" 64 (003) "cons" "'ZED065" 65 (003) "cons" "'ZED066" 66 (003) "cons" "'ZED067" 67 (003) "cons" "'ZED068" 68 (003) "cons" "'ZED069" 69 (003) "cons" "'ZED070" 70 (003) "cons" "'ZED071" 71 (003) "cons" "'ZED072" 72 (003) "cons" "'ZED073" 73 (003) "cons" "'ZED074" 74 (003) "cons" "'ZED075" 75 (003) "cons" "'ZED076" 76 (003) "cons" "'ZED077" 77 (003) "cons" "'ZED078" 78 (003) "cons" "'ZED079" 79 (003) "cons" "'ZED080" 80 (003) "cons" "'ZED081" 81 (003) "cons" "'ZED082" 82 (003) "cons" "'ZED083" 83 (003) "cons" "'ZED084" 84 (003) "cons" "'ZED085" 85 (003) "cons" "'ZED086" 86 (003) "cons" "'ZED087" 87 (003) "cons" "'ZED088" 88 (003) "cons" "'ZED089" 89 (003) "cons" "'ZED090" 90 (003) "cons" "'ZED091" 91 (003) "cons" "'ZED092" 92 (003) "cons" "'ZED093" 93 (003) "cons" "'ZED094" 94 (003) "cons" "'ZED095" 95 (003) "cons" "'ZED096" 96 (003) "cons" "'ZED097" 97 (003) "cons" "'ZED098" 98 (003) "cons" "'ZED099" 99

(by-four!) "sentences" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentences"
"collect"

(by-four!) "sentences" "collect"
comment:
#true
(by-four!) (002) "cddddr" "sentences" 
           (003) "cons" (005) "list" 
                              (002) "car" "sentences"
                              (002) "cadr" "sentences" 
                              (002) "caddr" "sentences" 
                              (002) "cadddr" "sentences"
                        "collect"

(by-four) "sentences"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (by-four!) "sentences" nil

(by-three!) "sentences" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentences"
"collect"

(by-three!) "sentences" "collect"
comment:
#true
(by-three!) (002) "cdddr" "sentences" 
            (003) "cons" (004) "list" 
                               (002) "car" "sentences"
                               (002) "cadr" "sentences" 
                               (002) "caddr" "sentences"
                         "collect"

(by-three) "sentences"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (by-three!) "sentences" nil

(character-less?) "character1" "character2"
comment:
#true
(003) "<" (002) "char->integer" "character1" (002) "char->integer" "character2"

(clause-arguments) "clause"
comment:
#true
(002) "cadr" "clause"

(clause-arguments-agree) "clause1" "clause2"
comment:
(003) "equal?" (clause-arguments) "clause1" (clause-arguments) "clause2"
(clause-arguments) "clause1"

(clause-arity) "clause"
comment:
#true
(002) "length" (clause-arguments) "clause"

(clause-body) "clause"
comment:
#true
(002) "cddr" "clause"

(clause-less?) "clause1" "clause2"
comment:
#true
(sentence-less?) (002) "car" "clause1" (002) "car" "clause2"

(clause-name) "clause"
comment:
#true
(002) "car" "clause"

(clause-name-agree) "clause1" "clause2"
comment:
(003) "eq?" (clause-name) "clause1" (clause-name) "clause2"
(clause-name) "clause1"

(combine-all!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
"collect"

(combine-all!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "program"
(003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(combine-all!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "eq?" (clause-name) (002) "car" "program" (clause-name) (002) "cadr" "program"
(combine-all!) (combine-head-clauses) "program" "collect"

(combine-all!) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(combine-all!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(combine-all) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (combine-all!) "program" nil

(combine-clauses) "clause1" "clause2"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (clause-name-agree) "clause1" "clause2" 
             (003) "cons" (clause-arguments-agree) "clause1" "clause2" 
                          (003) "append" (clause-body) "clause1" (clause-body) "clause2"

(combine-head-clauses) "program"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (combine-clauses) (002) "car" "program" (002) "cadr" "program" 
             (002) "cddr" "program"

(combine-program-clauses) "program"
comment:
#true
(combine-all) (ready-program) "program"

(comp!)
comment:
#true
(comp!a) (combine-program-clauses)
          (by-three)
           (read-sentences) 
            (discard-comments) 
             (function-sort) 
              (sentences) 
               (leading-newline) 
                (space-newline)
                 (tab-replace)
                  (newline-space-tab-repeats) 
                   (newline-space) 
                    (filter) not-return? (replace-trailing-white-space) (read-all)

(comp!a) "combined"
comment:
#true
(comp!aa) (programize) "combined" (arity-hash) "combined"

(comp!aa) "programized"
comment:
#true
(002) "write" "programized"

(comp)
comment:
#true
(comp!)

(condefy!) "expressions" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "expressions"
"collect"

(condefy!) "expressions" "collect"
comment:
#true
(condefy!) (002) "cddr" "expressions"
           (003) "cons" (003) "append" (002) "car" "expressions"
                                       (002) "cadr" "expressions"
                        "collect"

(condefy) "expressions"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (condefy!) "expressions" nil

(cons) value1 value2
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" value1 value2

(count) number
comment:
#true
(c) number (count) (+) number 1

(count-by) step number
comment:
#true
(c) number (count-by) step (+) number step

(delay-wrap) "expression"
comment:
#true
(003) "list" "'delay" "expression"

(digit?) "character"
comment:
#true
(011) "or" (003) "eqv?" #0 "character" (003) "eqv?" #1 "character" (003) "eqv?" #2 "character" (003) "eqv?" #3 "character" (003) "eqv?" #4 "character" (003) "eqv?" #5 "character" (003) "eqv?" #6 "character" (003) "eqv?" #7 "character" (003) "eqv?" #8 "character" (003) "eqv?" #9 "character"

(discard-comments!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
"collect"

(discard-comments!) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(discard-comments!) (002) "cddddr" "program" 
                    (003) "cons" (002) "cadddr" "program" 
                                 (003) "cons" (002) "caddr" "program" 
                                              (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(discard-comments) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (discard-comments!) "program" nil

(dr!) "value"
comment:
(002) "pair?" "value"
(mp) dr! (first) 64 "value"

(dr!) "value"
comment:
#true
"value"

(dr) "value"
comment:
#true
(005) "begin" (002) "display" (pr) (dr!) "value" (001) "newline" (001) "newline" "value"

(drr) "value"
comment:
#true
(005) "begin" (002) "display" (pr) "value" (001) "newline" (001) "newline" "value"

(false?) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(003) "equal?" "noun-list" (007) "list" ## #f #a #l #s #e

(fi) "function" "list"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
nil

(fi) "function" "list"
comment:
(002) "function" (1) "list"
(c) (1) "list" (fi) "function" (!) "list"

(fi) "function" "list"
comment:
#true
(fi) "function" (!) "list"

(filter!) "predicate" "list" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
"collect"

(filter!) "predicate" "list" "collect"
comment:
(002) "predicate" (002) "car" "list"
(filter!) "predicate" (002) "cdr" "list" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "list" "collect"

(filter!) "predicate" "list" "collect"
comment:
#true
(filter!) "predicate" (002) "cdr" "list" "collect"

(filter) "predicate" "list"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (filter!) "predicate" "list" nil

(first!) "integer" "list" "collect"
comment:
(003) "or" (002) "zero?" "integer" (002) "null?" "list"
(002) "reverse" "collect"

(first!) "integer" "list" "collect"
comment:
(002) "not" (002) "pair?" "list"
(002) "reverse" (003) "cons" "list" "collect"

(first!) "integer" "list" "collect"
comment:
(003) ">" "integer" 0
(first!) (003) "-" "integer" 1 (!) "list" (003) "cons" (1) "list" "collect"

(first) "integer" "list"
comment:
(002) "not" (002) "pair?" "list"
"list"

(first) "integer" "list"
comment:
#true
(first!) "integer" "list" nil

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
(and) (null?) list (not) sub-list-found?
(reverse) collect

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
(null?) list
(flatten!) (reverse) collect #false nil

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
(not) (pair?) list
(flatten!) nil sub-list-found? (cons) list collect

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
(pair?) (1) list
(flatten!) (!) list #true (cons) (!) (1) list (cons) (1) (1) list collect

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
(null?) (1) list
(flatten!) (!) list sub-list-found? collect

(flatten!) list sub-list-found? collect
comment:
#true
(flatten!) (!) list sub-list-found? (cons) (1) list collect

(flatten) list
comment:
#true
(flatten!) list #false nil

(for-each) effect list
comment:
#true
(003) "for-each" effect list

(function) "expression"
comment:
#true
(002) "caar" "expression"

(function-sort) "sentences"
comment:
#true
(rd) nil "append" (sort) clause-less? (by-four) "sentences"

(functionize) "clause" "arity-hash"
comment:
#true
(004) "list" 
      "'define" 
      (003) "cons" (clause-name) "clause" (clause-arguments) "clause" 
      (003) "cons" "'cond" (003) "append" (condefy) (map-with) schemefy 
                                                               (clause-body) "clause"
                                                               "arity-hash" 
                                          (002) "list" (003) "list" "'else" err

(gather-count?!) "candidate"
comment:
#true
(008) "and" 
      (003) "=" 6 (002) "length" "candidate"
      (003) "eqv?" #Z (002) "car" "candidate"
      (003) "eqv?" #E (002) "cadr" "candidate"
      (003) "eqv?" #D (002) "caddr" "candidate"
      (003) "eqv?" #0 (002) "cadddr" "candidate"
      (digit?) (002) "car" (002) "cddddr" "candidate"
      (digit?) (002) "cadr" (002) "cddddr" "candidate"

(gather-count?) "symbol"
comment:
#true
(gather-count?!) (002) "string->list" (002) "symbol->string" "symbol"

(gather-noun) "sentence"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentence"
nil

(gather-noun) "sentence"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #space (002) "car" "sentence"
nil

(gather-noun) "sentence"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (002) "car" "sentence" (gather-noun) (002) "cdr" "sentence"

(gather-verb) "sentence"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #) (002) "car" "sentence"
nil

(gather-verb) "sentence"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (002) "car" "sentence" (gather-verb) (002) "cdr" "sentence"

(gr) "garbage" "value"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (dr) "garbage" "value"

(grr) "garbage" "value"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (drr) "garbage" "value"

(leading-newline) "program"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
nil

(leading-newline) "program"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "car" "program"
(002) "cdr" "program"

(leading-newline) "program"
comment:
#true
"program"

(literal?) "literal-list"
comment:
#true
(003) "eqv?" #" (002) "car" "literal-list"

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (004) "list" #e #r #r
""'err""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (004) "list" #n #i #l
""'()""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (004) "list" #a #n #d
""and""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (003) "list" #o #r
""or""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (006) "list" #q #u #o #t #e
""quote""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "ZED-list" (003) "list" #s #e
""begin""

(make-ZED) "ZED-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list->string" (003) "append" (004) "list" #Z #E #D "ZED-list"

(make-character) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list->string" (003) "cons" ## (003) "cons" #\ (002) "cdr" "noun-list"

(make-exact) "exact-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list->string" (003) "append" (003) "list" ## #e "exact-list"

(make-literal) "literal-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list->string" (002) "cdr" (002) "reverse" (002) "cdr" (002) "reverse" "literal-list"

(make-number-character) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list->string" (004) "list" ## #\ (002) "integer->char"
                                         (002) "string->number"
                                          (002) "list->string"
                                           (002) "cddr" "noun-list"

(map-with!) "function" "list" "extra" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
"collect"

(map-with!) "function" "list" "extra" "collect"
comment:
#true
(map-with!) "function"
            (002) "cdr" "list"
            "extra" 
            (003) "cons" (003) "function" (002) "car" "list" "extra"
                         "collect"

(map-with) "function" "list" "extra"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (map-with!) "function" "list" "extra" nil

(merge!) "comparator" "list1" "list2" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list2"
(003) "append" (002) "reverse" "collect" "list1"

(merge!) "comparator" "list1" "list2" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list1"
(003) "append" (002) "reverse" "collect" "list2"

(merge!) "comparator" "list1" "list2" "collect"
comment:
(003) "comparator" (002) "car" "list2" (002) "car" "list1"
(merge!) "comparator" "list1" (002) "cdr" "list2" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "list2" "collect"

(merge!) "comparator" "list1" "list2" "collect"
comment:
#true
(merge!) "comparator" (002) "cdr" "list1" "list2" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "list1" "collect"

(merge) "comparator" "list1" "list2"
comment:
#true
(merge!) "comparator" "list1" "list2" nil

(mp) "function" "list"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
nil

(mp) "function" "list"
comment:
(002) "pair?" "list"
(c) (002) "function" (1) "list" (mp) "function" (!) "list"

(mp) "function" "list"
comment:
#true
(002) "function" "list"

(newline-space!) "program"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" #newline (newline-space!a) "program"

(newline-space!a) "program"
comment:
#true
(newline-space!aa) "program" (002) "reverse" (newline-space!ab) "program" nil

(newline-space!aa) "program" "transformed"
comment:
(003) "equal?" "program" "transformed"
"program"

(newline-space!aa) "program" "transformed"
comment:
#true
(newline-space!a) "transformed"

(newline-space!ab) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
"collect"

(newline-space!ab) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "program"
(003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(newline-space!ab) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "and" (003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "car" "program"
            (003) "or" (003) "eqv?" #space (002) "cadr" "program"
                       (003) "eqv?" #tab (002) "cadr" "program"
(newline-space!ab) (002) "cdr" "program" "collect"

(newline-space!ab) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(newline-space!ab) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(newline-space) "program"
comment:
#true
(newline-space!) "program"

(newline-space-tab-repeats!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "or" (002) "null?" "program" (002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "program"
(003) "append" "program" "collect"

(newline-space-tab-repeats!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "and" (003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "car" "program"
            (003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "cadr" "program"
(newline-space-tab-repeats!) (002) "cdr" "program" "collect"

(newline-space-tab-repeats!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "and" (003) "or" (003) "eqv?" #space (002) "car" "program"
                       (003) "eqv?" #tab (002) "car" "program"
            (003) "or" (003) "eqv?" #space (002) "cadr" "program"
                       (003) "eqv?" #tab (002) "cadr" "program"
(newline-space-tab-repeats!) (002) "cdr" "program" "collect"

(newline-space-tab-repeats!) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(newline-space-tab-repeats!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(newline-space-tab-repeats) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (newline-space-tab-repeats!) "program" nil

(newlines) "clauses"
comment:
#true
(add-between-ra) (map-with) add-between-ra "clauses" (002) "list" #newline
                 (002) "list" (003) "list" #newline #newline

(normal-character?) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "noun-list" ##

(not) value
comment:
#true
(002) "not" value

(not-return?) "character"
comment:
#true
(002) "not" (003) "eqv?" #return "character"

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
"number?"
(make-exact) "noun-list"

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
(literal?) "noun-list"
(make-literal) "noun-list"

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
(true?) "noun-list"
""#t""

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
(false?) "noun-list"
""#f""

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
(number-character?) "noun-list"
(make-number-character) "noun-list"

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
(normal-character?) "noun-list"
(make-character) "noun-list"

(noun!) "noun-list" "number?"
comment:
#true
(make-ZED) "noun-list"

(noun) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(noun!) "noun-list" (002) "string->number" (002) "list->string" "noun-list"

(null?) value
comment:
#true
(002) "null?" value

(number-character?) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(004) "and"
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "noun-list" ##
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "cadr" "noun-list" #0
      (002) "not" (002) "null?" (002) "cddr" "noun-list"

(pair?) value
comment:
#true
(002) "pair?" value

(pop) "stack"
comment:
#true
(002) "cdr" "stack"

(pr!) "value" "output-string"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin"
      (003) "display" (pr!a) "value" nil
                      "output-string"
      (pr!b) "output-string" (002) "get-output-string" "output-string"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "char?" "value"
(pr!aa) (002) "list->string" (003) "list" ## "value" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "string?" "value"
(pr!aa) (004) "string-append" ""\""" "value" ""\""" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "symbol?" "value"
(pr!aa) (002) "symbol->string" "value" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "number?" "value"
(pr!aa) (002) "number->string" "value" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(003) "and" (002) "boolean?" "value" "value"
(pr!aa) ""#true"" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "boolean?" "value"
(pr!aa) ""#false"" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "value"
(002) "reverse" "collect"

(pr!a) "value" "collect"
comment:
#true
(pr!a) (!) "value" (003) "cons" (pr!a) (1) "value" nil "collect"

(pr!aa) "string" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "collect"
"string"

(pr!aa) "string" "collect"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (003) "cons" "string" (003) "cons" ""."" "collect"

(pr!b) "output-string" "value"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (002) "close-output-port" "output-string" "value"

(pr) "value"
comment:
#true
(pr!) "value" (001) "open-output-string"

(programize) "program" "arity-hash"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" "'begin" (map-with) functionize "program" "arity-hash"

(push) "object" "stack"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" "object" "stack"

(rd!) "function" "list"
comment:
(002) "null?" (!) "list"
(1) "list"

(rd!) "function" "list"
comment:
#true
(rd!) "function" (003) "cons" (003) "function" (1) (!) "list" (1) "list" (!) (!) "list"

(rd) "final" "function" "list"
comment:
#true
(rd!) "function" (003) "cons" "final" (002) "reverse" "list"

(read-all!) "collect"
comment:
#true
(read-all!a) (001) "read-char" "collect"

(read-all!a) "character" "collect"
comment:
(002) "eof-object?" "character"
"collect"

(read-all!a) "character" "collect"
comment:
#true
(read-all!) (003) "cons" "character" "collect"

(read-all)
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (read-all!) nil

(read-sentence!a) "sentence" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentence"
"collect"

(read-sentence!a) "sentence" "collect"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #space (002) "car" "sentence"
(read-sentence!a) (002) "cdr" "sentence" "collect"

(read-sentence!a) "sentence" "collect"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #( (002) "car" "sentence"
(read-sentence!aa) "sentence" (gather-verb) (002) "cdr" "sentence" "collect"

(read-sentence!a) "sentence" "collect"
comment:
#true
(read-sentence!ab) "sentence" (gather-noun) "sentence" "collect"

(read-sentence!aa) "sentence" "gather-verb" "collect"
comment:
#true
(read-sentence!a) (tails) (003) "+" 2 (002) "length" "gather-verb"
                          "sentence"
                  (003) "cons" (verb) "gather-verb" "collect"

(read-sentence!ab) "sentence" "gather-noun" "collect"
comment:
#true
(read-sentence!a) (tails) (002) "length" "gather-noun" "sentence"
                  (003) "cons" (noun) "gather-noun" "collect"

(read-sentence!b) "list" "output-string"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (003) "display" "list" "output-string" 
              (read-sentence!ba) "output-string" (002) "get-output-string" "output-string"

(read-sentence!ba) "output-string" "get-output-string"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (002) "close-output-port" "output-string"
              (read-sentence!baa) (002) "open-input-string" "get-output-string"

(read-sentence!baa) "input-string"
comment:
#true
(read-sentence!baaa) "input-string" (002) "read" "input-string"

(read-sentence!baaa) "input-string" "answer"
comment:
#true
(003) "begin" (002) "close-input-port" "input-string" "answer"

(read-sentence) "sentence"
comment:
#true
(read-sentence!b) (002) "reverse" (read-sentence!a) "sentence" nil (001) "open-output-string"

(read-sentences) "sentences"
comment:
#true
(003) "map" read-sentence "sentences"

(ready-clause) "clause"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" (002) "caaar" "clause" (003) "cons" (002) "cdar" "clause" (002) "cdr" "clause"

(ready-program) "program"
comment:
#true
(003) "map" ready-clause "program"

(replace-trailing-white-space!) "program"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
nil

(replace-trailing-white-space!) "program"
comment:
(005) "or"
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "program" #space
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "program" #tab
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "program" #return
      (003) "eqv?" (002) "car" "program" #newline
(replace-trailing-white-space!) (002) "cdr" "program"

(replace-trailing-white-space!) "program"
comment:
#true
(003) "cons" #newline "program"

(replace-trailing-white-space) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (replace-trailing-white-space!) (002) "reverse" "program"

(reverse) list
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" list

(schemefy!) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack"
comment:
(002) "null?" "expression"
(top) "stack"

(schemefy!) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack"
comment:
(application?) "expression"
(schemefy!a) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" (function) "expression"

(schemefy!) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack"
comment:
#true
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression" "arity-hash" (push) (002) "car" "expression" "stack"

(schemefy!a) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function"
comment:
#true
(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" (arity) "arity-hash" "function"

(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" "arity"
comment:
(gather-count?) "function"
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression" "arity-hash" (push) (first) "arity" "stack"
                                                         (tails) "arity" "stack"

(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" "arity"
comment:
(003) "eq?" "function" "'ZED1"
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression"
            "arity-hash"
            (push) (005) "list"
                         "'if"
                         (003) "list" "'promise?" (003) "cons" "'car" (first) "arity" "stack"
                         (003) "list" "'force" (003) "cons" "'car" (first) "arity" "stack"
                         (003) "cons" "'car" (first) "arity" "stack"
                   (tails) "arity" "stack"

(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" "arity"
comment:
(003) "eq?" "function" "'ZED!"
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression"
            "arity-hash"
            (push) (005) "list"
                         "'if"
                         (003) "list" "'promise?" (003) "cons" "'cdr" (first) "arity" "stack"
                         (003) "list" "'force" (003) "cons" "'cdr" (first) "arity" "stack"
                         (003) "cons" "'cdr" (first) "arity" "stack"
                   (tails) "arity" "stack"

(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" "arity"
comment:
(003) "eq?" "function" "'ZEDc"
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression"
            "arity-hash"
            (push) (003) "cons" "'cons" (003) "map" delay-wrap (first) "arity" "stack"
                   (tails) "arity" "stack"

(schemefy!aa) "expression" "arity-hash" "stack" "function" "arity"
comment:
#true
(schemefy!) (002) "cdr" "expression"
            "arity-hash"
            (push) (003) "cons" "function" (first) "arity" "stack" (tails) "arity" "stack"

(schemefy) "expression" "arity-hash"
comment:
#true
(002) "list" (schemefy!) (002) "reverse" "expression" "arity-hash" (stack)

(sentence-less?) "sentence1" "sentence2"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentence2"
"#f"

(sentence-less?) "sentence1" "sentence2"
comment:
(002) "null?" "sentence1"
"#t"

(sentence-less?) "sentence1" "sentence2"
comment:
(character-less?) (002) "car" "sentence1" (002) "car" "sentence2"
"#t"

(sentence-less?) "sentence1" "sentence2"
comment:
(character-less?) (002) "car" "sentence2" (002) "car" "sentence1"
"#f"

(sentence-less?) "sentence1" "sentence2"
comment:
#true
(sentence-less?) (002) "cdr" "sentence1" (002) "cdr" "sentence2"

(sentences!) "program" "collect1" "collect2"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
"collect2"

(sentences!) "program" "collect1" "collect2"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "car" "program"
(sentences!) (002) "cdr" "program" nil (003) "cons" (002) "reverse" "collect1" "collect2"

(sentences!) "program" "collect1" "collect2"
comment:
#true
(sentences!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect1" "collect2"

(sentences) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (sentences!) "program" nil nil

(sort!a) "jumble"
comment:
#true
(003) "map" "list" "jumble"

(sort!b) "comparator" "jumble"
comment:
(002) "null?" "jumble"
nil

(sort!b) "comparator" "jumble"
comment:
(002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "jumble"
"jumble"

(sort!b) "comparator" "jumble"
comment:
#true
(sort!b) "comparator"
         (003) "cons" (merge) "comparator" (002) "car" "jumble" (002) "cadr" "jumble"
                      (sort!b) "comparator" (002) "cddr" "jumble"

(sort) "comparator" "jumble"
comment:
#true
(002) "car" (sort!b) "comparator" (sort!a) "jumble"

(space-newline!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "or" (002) "null?" "program" (002) "null?" (002) "cdr" "program"
(003) "append" "program" "collect"

(space-newline!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "and" (003) "eqv?" #space (002) "car" "program"
            (003) "eqv?" #newline (002) "cadr" "program"
(space-newline!) (002) "cdr" "program" "collect"

(space-newline!) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(space-newline!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(space-newline) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (space-newline!) "program" nil

(stack)
comment:
#true
nil

(tab-replace!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
"collect"

(tab-replace!) "program" "collect"
comment:
(003) "eqv?" #tab (002) "car" "program"
(tab-replace!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" #space "collect"

(tab-replace!) "program" "collect"
comment:
#true
(tab-replace!) (002) "cdr" "program" (003) "cons" (002) "car" "program" "collect"

(tab-replace) "program"
comment:
#true
(002) "reverse" (tab-replace!) "program" nil

(tails) "number" "list"
comment:
(002) "null?" "list"
nil

(tails) "number" "list"
comment:
(002) "zero?" "number"
"list"

(tails) "number" "list"
comment:
(003) ">" "number" 0
(tails) (003) "-" "number" 1 (002) "cdr" "list"

(top) "stack"
comment:
#true
(002) "car" "stack"

(true?) "noun-list"
comment:
#true
(003) "equal?" "noun-list" (006) "list" ## #t #r #u #e

(verb) "verb-list"
comment:
(literal?) "verb-list"
(002) "list" (make-literal) "verb-list"

(verb) "verb-list"
comment:
#true
(002) "list" (make-ZED) "verb-list"

(write-all) "program"
comment:
(002) "null?" "program"
err

(write-all) "program"
comment:
#true
(write-all) (003) "begin" (002) "write-char" (002) "car" "program" (002) "cdr" "program"

(zed->scheme!) "value" "collect"
comment:
(002) "null?" "value"
(002) "reverse" "collect"

(zed->scheme!) "value" "collect"
comment:
#true
(zed->scheme!) (!) "value" (003) "cons" (zed->scheme) (1) "value" "collect"

(zed->scheme) "value"
comment:
(002) "not" (002) "pair?" "value"
"value"

(zed->scheme) "value"
comment:
#true
(zed->scheme!) "value" nil

zkl

zkl is written in zkl. The compiler is big. The VM has a compiled (C) image of the compile as a big table, ie the system is image based. Here is an example of compiling and testing a new compiler:

$ zkl --package Src/Compiler/compiler.zkl  
Compiling asm
Compiling parser
Compiling tokenizer
Building wad: .... 106,072 bytes added
Checking 4 items in Wad
Wad header
  Protocol:          1.0
  Infomercial:       zkl Wad
  Time Stamp:        Sun Jun 15 20:42:11 2014
  Number of objects: 4
  Data size:         106,072 bytes
  Run list:          5444
  Flags:             
  Class Name                                         Offset    Size  Run
  ----- ----                                         ------    ----  ---
  Compiler.Compiler                                       0  28,930   5
  Compiler.Asm                                       28,930  15,001   4
  Compiler.Parser                                    43,931  55,129   4
  Compiler.Tokenizer                                 99,060   7,012   4
....
Compiled package in 2.9 seconds
zkl 1.12.11, released 2014-07-01
zkl: ^D

$ zklIgnoreWad=1 zkl  //ignore compiled in image and load just compiled one
Ignoring wad
zkl 1.12.11, released 2014-07-01

Since the compiler is part of the VM, you can compile from the REPL:

zkl: Compiler.Compiler.packageFile("compiler.zkl")
Compiling asm
Compiling parser
Compiling tokenizer
...