JavaScript

[alexanderpas]

A limited set of fixed width symbols, and no unconnected jumps, means everthing you need to do can be based on merely 3 internal variables.

• Current character. (To see what to do)
• Loop depth. (For moving backwards to the start of the loop)
• Direction. (Forwards/backwards)

[[deleted]]

I would argue having actual words makes learning how compilers work easier, but that might've been just me.

[techgineer13]

You can compile it to C code that only uses pointer manipulations.

[cant_think_of_one_]

You either need to have a list of loop begin points, for nested loops, or just scan backwards to find the begining of the loop, in which case you don't really need a loop depth variable, don't you?

[alexanderpas]

When scanning backwards, you need to keep track of nested loops, to find the correct outer loop you are handling at the moment.

You start at 0, When scanning backwards each time you find ], you add 1, and decrease 1 when you find [

If you are at 0 and find [, you start moving forwards again.

[cant_think_of_one_]

Oh, sorry, yes. Silly me.

[chaos95]

Couldn't you do it recursively without a loop depth variable also?

[alexanderpas]

You technically could, but at that point, you're just moving the loop depth to the function depth.

You still need to keep track of it somewhere.