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# NAC3 compiler
# NAC3
NAC3 is a major, backward-incompatible rewrite of the compiler for the [ARTIQ](https://m-labs.hk/artiq) physics experiment control and data acquisition system. It features greatly improved compilation speeds, a much better type system, and more predictable and transparent operation.
NAC3 has a modular design and its applicability reaches beyond ARTIQ. The ``nac3core`` module does not contain anything specific to ARTIQ, and can be used in any project that requires compiling Python to machine code.
**WARNING: NAC3 is currently experimental software and several important features are not implemented yet.**
## Packaging
NAC3 is packaged using the [Nix](https://nixos.org) Flakes system. Install Nix 2.4+ and enable flakes by adding ``experimental-features = nix-command flakes`` to ``nix.conf`` (e.g. ``~/.config/nix/nix.conf``).
## Try NAC3
After setting up Nix as above, use ``nix shell github:m-labs/artiq/nac3`` to get a shell with the NAC3 version of ARTIQ. See the ``examples`` directory in ARTIQ (``nac3`` Git branch) for some samples of NAC3 kernel code.
## For developers
This repository contains:
- nac3ast: Python abstract syntax tree definition (based on RustPython).
- nac3parser: Python parser (based on RustPython).
- nac3core: Core compiler library, containing type-checking and code
generation.
- nac3standalone: Standalone compiler tool (core language only).
- nac3artiq: Integration with ARTIQ and implementation of ARTIQ-specific
extensions to the core language.
- runkernel: Simple program that runs compiled ARTIQ kernels on the host
and displays RTIO operations. Useful for testing without hardware.
- ``nac3ast``: Python abstract syntax tree definition (based on RustPython).
- ``nac3parser``: Python parser (based on RustPython).
- ``nac3core``: Core compiler library, containing type-checking and code generation.
- ``nac3standalone``: Standalone compiler tool (core language only).
- ``nac3artiq``: Integration with ARTIQ and implementation of ARTIQ-specific extensions to the core language.
- ``runkernel``: Simple program that runs compiled ARTIQ kernels on the host and displays RTIO operations. Useful for testing without hardware.
Use ``nix develop`` in this repository to enter a development shell.
If you are using a different shell than bash you can use e.g. ``nix develop --command fish``.
The core compiler knows nothing about symbol resolution, host variables
etc. nac3artiq and nac3standalone provide (implement) the
symbol resolver to the core compiler for resolving the type and value for
unknown symbols. The core compiler only type checks classes and functions
requested by nac3artiq/nac3standalone (the API should allow the
caller to specify which methods should be compiled). After type checking, the
compiler analyses the set of functions/classes that are used and performs
code generation.
value could be integer values, boolean values, bytes (for memcpy), function ID
(full name + concrete type)
Build NAC3 with ``cargo build --release``. See the demonstrations in ``nac3artiq`` and ``nac3standalone``.