Inside Functional Programming Languages: Implementation Details and Compilation Phases
By
surprisetalk
Toasted golden, schmeared with insight. Top of the rack.
Summary
The article explores the internal workings and implementation details of functional programming languages, particularly Haskell-like languages. It examines the standard compilation phases these languages typically use, including lexing, parsing, desugaring, type inference, pattern match compilation, normalization, optimization, and closure conversion. The content takes a technical yet philosophical approach, questioning fundamental aspects of language design and implementation while maintaining a playful, inquisitive tone about programming language internals.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledHaskell-esque languages may look alike, but they differ across many dimensions
Most implementations use standard compilation phases
Lexing: Source → Token stream
Parsing: Tokens → Surface AST
Desugaring: Surface AST → Core AST
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