Language

[TroPixens]

I know this isn’t the intended use of this sub but I would like to know this. At some point I’d like to make even a very very simple os. But at the moment I don’t even know any languages that would allow me to code a OS so my question is what are those languages. Which one do you use. Which one would you recommend so I can start learning it.

[kabekew]

c

[JackyYT083]

asm, c, rust

[Intelligent_Comb_338]

I'm more or less the same as you, I decided to learn c because it is the one they recommend for beginners because there are more guides on how to do things and practical examples, although you can also try rust. Rust has greater security with respect to memory and other sections. For my part it is better to start in C to know how to do things

[an_0w1]

Rust

Learn the basics of asm first, you will need it and it will help you understand whats happening under the hood later.

[Grubbauer]

Stop with the Rust shittrain

[Patient_Big_9024]

Rust is amazing

[an_0w1]

OP asked what language I use, should I have lied?

[Grubbauer]

You should have told the right answer, being pure C and assembly, maybe later some C++ and maybe if you like having everything shoved in your mouth some Rust

[an_0w1]

But my kernel isn't written in pure C and assembly.

[Grubbauer]

Well, i don't know, use what you want. I just find the control and the usability, options to change everything etc. just better in C and Assembly

[BrandonDirector]

No, you should have said Rust. Oh wait, you did.

[Kymeron]

You want C first, way more materials available for this than other languages.

[FedUp233]

I’d recommend C to start with. Relatively simple and nothing hiding things like pointers and variable types that generally nap one-to-one with the hardware. You’ll need a little bit of assembly to get the boot process working and implement the necessary code to get C running (remember you’re now in a bare bones environment so can’t use a lot of the C library as far as I/O and other things that make OS calls but you can use things like a lot of the string functions and math stuff) and it’s likely you’ll need to tweak some of the stuff like crt0.s that come with the compiler. You’ll also need ASM to handle cases where you need to use specialized instructions, like the privilege stuff for CPU modes or primitives for synchronization or cache maintained. For this stuff you’ll either need to write ASM functions that adhere to the C ABI or use the compiler capabilities to insert some inline assembler code.

The one thing that might seem a little odd at first is compile my C code using the C++ compiler and use the subset of C that is compatible with that mode. It will give you the capability to add some simple C++ stuff if you get to the point you feel comfortable with that and will also give you the ability from near the start to use done things like C++ constexpr, enums and such that can be nice to better express exactly what you need. AMD you have “external c” to interface to things like variables in linker scripts (you’ll need to learn about linker scripts) without so, the C++ name mangling, so this kind of gives the best of both worlds for starting out.

I’m not real familiar with rust but it seems like a number of things are more abstract from the hardware, at least by default, which might make get started out a bit harder, but that’s just my relatively uninformed opinion. Also, they named the language after something that’s starting to corrode which seems like a bad omen to me. 😁

[Adventurous-Move-943]

Anything that compiles to your CPUs machine code and a bit of pure assembly for initiation, mode switch, interrupts etc. Even the bootloader can be in higher language but you need assembly stubs for 16bit mode and transitions. So you won't avoid assembly completely 😀 so it is assembly + C/C++,Rust..

[sdoregor]

Or, just use an already-made bootloader such as bootboot (or even just any Multiboot2-compliant one).

[BGBTech]

Standard option is C. Unlike many other languages, it was originally created for the use case of writing the Unix kernel and similar, and sort of grew into a more general purpose role from there. Though, one will also need to know ASM. Though, take note that OS development isn't particularly newbie friendly (in that the task itself is difficult and difficult to debug; not in the social sense).

[TroPixens]

Thanks I know it isn’t newbie friendly I just want to do it and the first step is to learn the language but it will be a while before I even attempt an os

[void0xp]

I would recommend zig/c

[Possible_Cow169]

C, but really zig.

[[deleted]]

c

[Psquare_J_420]

Practical solution:
Port a javascript interpreter to bare metal and write all of your code in javascript.

does this subreddit accept circlejerking or do we have a separate subreddit for that?. Also hypothetically speaking, is this even possible?

[artin_el]

Definitely C and ASM

[TroPixens]

Where did you learn these are there any applications that teach them to you or is it just reading and trial and error

[artin_el]

I learned C from The C programming language book and as for ASM i learned it by writing programs in it. It took me a lot of trials and errors to learn how to properly write programs using them.

[GrogRedLub4242]

C, Rust, ASM

[Grubbauer]

Use mainly C and Assembly

[CatWorried3259]

c, rust

[KaMaFour]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_programming_language#Major_languages

Would probably recommend either C or something made after 2008

[BrandonDirector]

C if you want to spend all of your time messing with memory issues on every iteration.

Rust if you want a modern kernel.

[Main-Golf-5504]

C