usage.md

Usage

The pipeline

cinderkit build main.ck -o main.cdx     # front half: lex, parse, check, codegen
cinderkit check main.ck                 # type-check only
cinderc build main.cdx -o main.cdxb     # assemble + verify (cindervm)
cinderc run main.cdxb                   # execute

The language

fn main() -> i32 {
    let total = 2 + 3 * 4;      // let binds a frame local
    if total > 10 {             // condition must be bool
        return 1;
    } else {
        return 0;
    }
}

• fn name() -> i32|bool|void { ... }
• let name = <expr>;
• if <bool-expr> { ... } else { ... }
• while <bool-expr> { ... } — loops are metered automatically
• return <expr>; — must match the declared type
• helper(); — expression statements; calls pack their arguments

Operators

Operator	Meaning	Codegen
+ - * /	wrapping arithmetic	add sub mul div
<	signed less-than	lt
>	signed greater-than	lt on swapped operands
==	structural equality	eq

Diagnostics

error[E_TYPE_MISMATCH]: return type must be i32, found bool (at line 3)
error[E_UNKNOWN_FN]: unknown function `helper` (at line 5)
error[E_MISSING_RETURN]: function `main` may reach the end without returning (at line 1)

Example

cinderkit build examples/fib.ck -o fib.cdx
cinderc build fib.cdx -o fib.cdxb
cinderc run fib.cdxb

See also: the README for the design rationale.