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deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Lobsters·Jun 23·5 min read
FEXPRs vs. vtable: how LispE interpreter works
TL;DR
Software engineers often face a trade-off between interpreters, which offer flexibility, and compilers, which provide efficiency. LispE addresses this by creating an interpreter for compiled objects, where each instruction is a derived class with its own eval method.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers can leverage LispE's design to create flexible yet optimized programming languages.
Key Takeaways
- Explore using derived classes for language instructions.
- Consider maintaining AST while optimizing performance.
- Utilize C++ features for language implementation.
- Investigate the balance between flexibility and efficiency in design.
Full Summary
In programming, interpreters and compilers represent two approaches to executing code, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. LispE is a unique interpreter that operates on compiled objects, effectively merging the benefits of both paradigms.
It achieves this by transforming each language instruction into a derived class that implements an eval method, allowing for individual optimization. All these classes inherit from a base class called Element, enabling them to be stored in a C++ vector.
This design keeps the abstract syntax tree (AST) intact while allowing for extensive optimization using C++ capabilities. As a result, LispE maintains the flexibility of Lisp while enhancing performance through compiled object representation.
This innovative approach could inspire new methods in language design and implementation.