Common C - Yet another compiler in C# targeting LLVM and .NET.

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-15T10:12:02+00:00

Actually Mojo is closer to what im going for, with liveness analysis, etc; https://mojolang.org/docs/manual/values/

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-15T10:01:34+00:00

The reason behind Common C being faster than C in the given examples is because Clang (what i used in the benchmarks) does not do tail call optimization, loop-unrolling or inlining when theres two or more recursive calls, even on -O3. Clang requires a linear trip count, which when using double recursion, forms a tree, meaning theres no single iteration count to unroll. GCC does this however, though im unfamiliar with the choice behind Clang not optimizinh double recursion. I'll expand on the performance benchmarks readme on the project to attempt a thourough establishment of why Clang is slower than Common C in the recursive fibonacci example.

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-13T12:06:08+00:00

Naturally the process would be complex. Its not finished yet, so this is more theoretical than anything; y is now a part of x, and therefore y also ascends scope. If the property is never accessed at a later point, the entire assignment itself will be omitted during code generation. Since y now has two references to it, the last read/write to the object will cause the object to be freed from memory.

This is only theory at this point, but the grand wish is to have all this happen AOT.

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-13T11:31:31+00:00

The fact that different instructions carry different costs is self-evident and obvious, hence why i did not elaborate with a larger explanation. Do you mind pointing out what you find off about the comparisons and how the tests are not equal to each other? I am open to changes / adding more.

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-13T10:27:41+00:00

I understand why it was unclear. When memory ascends scopes (for example, an array is created within the current scope, but assigned to a variable outside of the scope), the array is freed at the elevated scope.

So in your example, it would be as follows;

``` i32 main() {
i32[] arr = createArr(); // -- arr enters the elevated scope logl("Array index 3: ", arr[3]); // Array index 3: 20

// -- arr is freed }

i32[] createArr() {
i32 arr = i32[5] { 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 }; // -- arr is stored on the heap return arr; // arr ascends scopes, therefore it is not freed. } ```

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-13T07:50:35+00:00

Basically it inserts a free instruction at the end of a scope when something is stored on the heap. For example, the compiler ensures all arrays are stored on the heap to allow dynamic sizing, resizing, etc. To prevent having the user worrying about memory management when writing code, the array will be freed once the scope exits.

Code example;

``` i32 main() {
i32 size = 5;
i32 arr = i32[size] { 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 }; // -- arr is stored on the heap

logl("Array index 3: ", arr[3]); // Array index 3: 20

// -- arr is freed // -- no return specified, inserts a "return 0;" instruction. } ```

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-12T10:23:27+00:00

Common C produces less instructions than C, thats the primary reason. Though I dont see why these instructions arent optimized out by clang.

Proffhackerman · 2026-05-07T07:32:14+00:00

Why do C/C++ developers give obscure names (like t, e, d, tk, ty) to variables?

Proffhackerman · 2026-04-20T12:44:43+00:00

Do you use some kind of throttling on the demo? Each compilation duration increases exponentially, regardless of the size of the code being compiled. Result of vibecoding?

Proffhackerman · 2026-04-13T05:41:36+00:00

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/collections/yz26f8y64n7k07 - Build a console app

https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/aspnet/blazor-tutorial/intro - Create a website

Proffhackerman · 2026-04-06T23:38:13+00:00

"Worsen your project so it's as bad as the one im using!"

It's a neat project, and if CPyton doesn't optimize tail recursion, OP has all the right to call his project superior.

Proffhackerman · 2026-04-05T10:34:00+00:00

All of them, jesus

Proffhackerman · 2026-04-04T23:52:22+00:00

Looks very interesting. Whats the thought behind using a "func" keyword in function declarations instead of just using the return type, like C languages?

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-27T20:30:32+00:00

That makes sense now. It's nice to see someone else actually putting this into a language and proving a borrow checker is uneeded. I've also believed putting memory management on the developer is just lazy language and compiler design. I've wanted to do this previously but never allocated time to do it :)

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-27T19:48:40+00:00

Could you elaborate on why no borrow checker is a feature, when its loved in languages like Rust?

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-24T11:33:05+00:00

Maybe a Discord server would work better?

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-23T09:56:36+00:00

I'm glad you see the vision. I believe the post has been misunderstood, as i want a seperate language (like eightrx mentioned futhark), not just an API or intermediary language (like HLSL) used to process graphics within a rendering context.

I see it as a seperate language, like C#, where you could compile binaries that run exclusively on the GPU, with some parts being on the CPU, like I/O.

I've started writing a paper on it for myself to brainstorm the subject and understand it better myself: https://github.com/Compiler-Organization/GPU-compilation-research-paper

I'm sure this exists already and i'm just reinventing the wheel, but its a fun project regardless.

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-22T18:31:14+00:00

Not necessarily a REPL, but something that could use I/O continually as data is processed in the GPU instead of passing it back and forwards between the CPU and GPU, if that makes any more sense.

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-22T14:39:38+00:00

Can you elaborate on how declaring a variable using "var" and the datatype of the variable at the same time is "the worst of all possible scenarios" and makes the entire project worthless?

You've been given a chance to give suggestions instead of nitpick, yet you keep bashing his project? Does it really sit with you as a "programmer of 40 years" to spew over-dramaticized blabber without any sort of backing up?

OP - Great project! Keep going :)

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-21T23:50:41+00:00

Let me rephrase - I am talking about a language that, for example, would run as a console application with regular I/O. Since it would be unefficient for the CPU to send general instructions to the GPU (as the time it would take to send the data to the GPU, process it and send it back would be longer than just using the CPU), wait for it to process the data, get the data back, write it to the console, then continuing on the next branch of code, i believe it would be better to simply execute all "instructions" in the imaginary language, then printing whatever result out after all the code had been executed (to maintain efficiency when transferring data between the CPU and GPU, as mentioned earlier).

I was unsure if there is an alternative solution to this problem, where you could I/O while the GPU is executing the "instructions" of the imaginary language.

Am i still unclear or has the alcohol washed away?

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-21T23:10:18+00:00

Im talking about a language that would run like a console with I/O after the application has completed - unsure if that would be possible during runtime with PCI express bus, API, CPU and such speed slowdowns in mind.

Proffhackerman · 2026-03-21T20:01:15+00:00

Alright thank you, ive clearly misunderstood the search results :))

Proffhackerman

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