A Data-Oriented Programming Language for modern developers.

The Liam Programming Language

Liam is a strongly typed compiled language intended for performance comparable to C++ but less pain along the way. Liam generates and outputs c++ which is then compiled to a final binary.

Stack allocated linked list example:

struct NodeAllocator {
    buffer: [100]Node,
    used: i64
}

fn make_node(allocator: ^NodeAllocator, value: i64) ^Node {
    let node : ^Node = &allocator.buffer[allocator.used];
    allocator.used = allocator.used + 1;

    *node = new Node{
        value: value,
        next: null
    };

    return node;
}

struct Node {
    value: i64,
    next: ^Node
}

struct LinkedList {
    head: ^Node,
    size: i64
}

fn make_linked_list() LinkedList {
    return new LinkedList {
        head: null,
        size: 0
    };
}

fn push(list: ^LinkedList, allocator: ^NodeAllocator, value: i64) void {
    let new_node := make_node(allocator, value);
    if list.head == null {
        list.head = new_node;
        return;
    }

    let current_node := list.head;

    // there are no while loops yet so having a dummy 
    // varaible here is needed
    for let dummy := 0; current_node.next != null; current_node = current_node.next; {}

    current_node.next = new_node;
}

fn main() void {
    let allocator : NodeAllocator = zero;
    let list := make_linked_list();
    push(&list, &allocator, 10);
    push(&list, &allocator, 20);
    push(&list, &allocator, 30);

    for let node := list.head; node != null; node = node.next; {

    }
}

Features and possbile future ones

Added

• basic structs (no generics, or member functions)
• basic functions (no generics)
• size specific builting data types (u8, u16, u32, u64)
• stack allocated non-dynamic arrays of arbitrarty types
• multiple files using import
• non-polluting import statements with namespace identifiers
• out-of-order top level definitions
• slice types
• slicing syntax for arrays and slices
• for and while loops

Maybe [how easy/how useful for the current state/will not need to be redone/future work not harder]

• type safe continue, return and break [4/4/3/6] 19
• generic arguments for structs [2/5/4/2] 13
• generics arguments for functions [3/7/6/4] 20
• tagged union style enums (like rust enums) [2/3/6/6] 17
• enum pattern mathcing with a match keyword [3/2/5/6] 16
• iterators (non concreate idea no how these will work yet) [2/3/3/5] 13
  • for static arrays
  • a range given
  • user defined types
• number types coercing [3/10/4/4] 21
• const and var types [2/1/3/3] 9
• some error handling solution (zig, rust and go are all nice) [2/2/5/7] 16
• better stdlib [6/5/1/7] 19
  • dynamic array
  • String type
  • I/O
  • memory management
• bounds checking for container types only in debug mode with debug mode option [8/1/8/9] 26
• member functions for structs [4/2/5/5] 18
• global variables (const or maybe not) [5/1/8/7] 21
• defer keyword [1/1/4/7] 13
• some kind of optional types (either with tagged unions or builtin like zig) [2/3/7/6] 18
• calling into C/C++ from liam [5/4/6/7] 22
• inline custom struct types [1/2/7/2] 12

Documentation

The Wiki

Some helpful documentation for getting started learning Liam.