Update README files

This commit is contained in:
Brian Anderson 2011-06-26 22:27:22 -07:00
parent f2d76bcd7d
commit fcbdac96dd
2 changed files with 45 additions and 42 deletions

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@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Source layout:
comp/ The self-hosted compiler comp/ The self-hosted compiler
lib/ The standard library
rustllvm/ LLVM support code
rt/ The runtime system rt/ The runtime system
rt/rust_*.cpp - The majority of the runtime services rt/rust_*.cpp - The majority of the runtime services
rt/isaac - The PRNG used for pseudo-random choices in the runtime rt/isaac - The PRNG used for pseudo-random choices in the runtime
@ -11,7 +15,7 @@ rt/bigint - The bigint library used for the 'big' type
rt/uthash - Small hashtable-and-list library for C, used in runtime rt/uthash - Small hashtable-and-list library for C, used in runtime
rt/{sync,util} - Small utility classes for the runtime. rt/{sync,util} - Small utility classes for the runtime.
test/ Testsuite (for both bootstrap and self-hosted) test/ Testsuite
test/compile-fail - Tests that should fail to compile test/compile-fail - Tests that should fail to compile
test/run-fail - Tests that should compile, run and fail test/run-fail - Tests that should compile, run and fail
test/run-pass - Tests that should compile, run and succeed test/run-pass - Tests that should compile, run and succeed

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@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ An informal guide to reading and working on the rustc compiler.
================================================================== ==================================================================
If you wish to expand on this document, or have one of the If you wish to expand on this document, or have one of the
slightly-more-familiar authors add anything else to it, please get in touch or slightly-more-familiar authors add anything else to it, please get in
file a bug. Your concerns are probably the same as someone else's. touch or file a bug. Your concerns are probably the same as someone
else's.
High-level concepts High-level concepts
@ -13,65 +14,63 @@ Rustc consists of the following subdirectories:
front/ - front-end: lexer, parser, AST. front/ - front-end: lexer, parser, AST.
middle/ - middle-end: resolving, typechecking, translating middle/ - middle-end: resolving, typechecking, translating
back/ - back-end: linking and ABI
driver/ - command-line processing, main() entrypoint driver/ - command-line processing, main() entrypoint
util/ - ubiquitous types and helper functions util/ - ubiquitous types and helper functions
lib/ - bindings to LLVM lib/ - bindings to LLVM
pretty/ - pretty-printing
The entry-point for the compiler is main() in driver/rustc.rs, and this file The entry-point for the compiler is main() in driver/rustc.rs, and
sequences the various parts together. this file sequences the various parts together.
The 3 central data structures: The 3 central data structures:
------------------------------ ------------------------------
#1: front/ast.rs defines the AST. The AST is treated as immutable after #1: front/ast.rs defines the AST. The AST is treated as immutable
parsing despite containing some mutable types (hashtables and such). after parsing despite containing some mutable types (hashtables
There are three interesting details to know about this structure: and such). There are three interesting details to know about this
structure:
- Many -- though not all -- nodes within this data structure are wrapped - Many -- though not all -- nodes within this data structure are
in the type spanned[T], meaning that the front-end has marked the wrapped in the type spanned[T], meaning that the front-end has
input coordinates of that node. The member .node is the data itself, marked the input coordinates of that node. The member .node is
the member .span is the input location (file, line, column; both low the data itself, the member .span is the input location (file,
and high). line, column; both low and high).
- Many other nodes within this data structure carry a def_id. These - Many other nodes within this data structure carry a
nodes represent the 'target' of some name reference elsewhere in the def_id. These nodes represent the 'target' of some name
tree. When the AST is resolved, by middle/resolve.rs, all names wind reference elsewhere in the tree. When the AST is resolved, by
up acquiring a def that they point to. So anything that can be middle/resolve.rs, all names wind up acquiring a def that they
pointed-to by a name winds up with a def_id. point to. So anything that can be pointed-to by a name winds
up with a def_id.
- Many nodes carry an additional type 'ann', for annotations. These #2: middle/ty.rs defines the datatype sty. This is the type that
nodes are those that later stages of the middle-end add information represents types after they have been resolved and normalized by
to, augmenting the basic structure of the tree. Currently that the middle-end. The typeck phase converts every ast type to a
includes the calculated type of any node that has a type; it will also ty::sty, and the latter is used to drive later phases of
likely include typestates, layers and effects, when such things are compilation. Most variants in the ast::ty tag have a
calculated. corresponding variant in the ty::sty tag.
#2: middle/ty.rs defines the datatype ty.t, with its central member ty.struct. #3: lib/llvm.rs defines the exported types ValueRef, TypeRef,
This is the type that represents types after they have been resolved and BasicBlockRef, and several others. Each of these is an opaque
normalized by the middle-end. The typeck phase converts every ast type to pointer to an LLVM type, manipulated through the lib.llvm
a ty.t, and the latter is used to drive later phases of compilation. Most interface.
variants in the ast.ty tag have a corresponding variant in the ty.struct
tag.
#3: lib/llvm.rs defines the exported types ValueRef, TypeRef, BasicBlockRef,
and several others. Each of these is an opaque pointer to an LLVM type,
manipulated through the lib.llvm interface.
Control and information flow within the compiler: Control and information flow within the compiler:
------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
- main() in driver/rustc.rs assumes control on startup. Options are parsed, - main() in driver/rustc.rs assumes control on startup. Options are
platform is detected, etc. parsed, platform is detected, etc.
- front/parser.rs is driven over the input files. - front/parser.rs is driven over the input files.
- Multiple middle-end passes (middle/resolve.rs, middle/typeck.rs) are run - Multiple middle-end passes (middle/resolve.rs, middle/typeck.rs) are
over the resulting AST. Each pass produces a new AST with some number of run over the resulting AST. Each pass generates new information
annotations or modifications. about the AST which is stored in various side data structures.
- Finally middle/trans.rs is applied to the AST, which performs a - Finally middle/trans.rs is applied to the AST, which performs a
type-directed translation to LLVM-ese. When it's finished synthesizing LLVM type-directed translation to LLVM-ese. When it's finished
values, rustc asks LLVM to write them out as an executable, on which the synthesizing LLVM values, rustc asks LLVM to write them out in some
normal LLVM pipeline (opt, llc, as) was run. form (.bc, .o) and possibly run the system linker.