Frequently asked questions

Is Prismio production-ready?

No. Prismio 0.1 is active compiler development. Implemented behavior is tested, but syntax, runtime contracts, manifests, diagnostics, AIF policy, and ABI details may change. Pin a compiler revision for persistent work.

Is the compiler really self-hosted?

Yes. The lexer, parser, AST, import resolver, semantic analysis, AIF, and LLVM IR generator are written in Prismio. A committed LLVM IR seed breaks the initial bootstrap cycle. Later generations compile the current source and are checked for fixed-point agreement.

What does AIF stand for?

Adaptive Inference Framework. It classifies allocation sites across stack, region, unique heap, shared, and cycle-aware strategies and can explain or verify decisions. Source ownership rules do not depend on receiving an aggressive tier.

Does Prismio use LLVM?

Yes. LLVM 22 is the supported backend line. Self-hosted Prismio code constructs the module through a narrow C wrapper around the LLVM C API. LLVM IR is verified before emission.

Which language mechanisms are implemented?

The current suite covers generics, inherent and trait implementations, default trait methods, multiple bounds, supertraits, associated constants and types, trait objects, impl Trait, closures, payload enums, pattern matching, slices, DataView conversion, native tasks, and typed blocking channels. Their exact stability and limitations remain documented per article and test.

What standard modules exist?

The compiler tree includes std.io, std.string, std.fs, std.process, std.list, std.map, std.option, std.key, std.ord, std.copy, std.eq, std.display, and std.iter. There is no prelude. Standard-library search can select checkout-local or packaged modules; inspect prismio --version when debugging resolution.

Does Prismio have a package registry?

No. UMS supplies build.ums, targets, workspaces, local path dependencies, lock information, native link inputs, and the project compiler host. It does not currently fetch packages from a registry or solve remote version constraints.

What concurrency model exists?

spawn, join, and Task<R> use native OS threads. Channel<T> is a typed blocking channel. There is no async runtime, await, work-stealing executor, or user-facing atomic and mutex surface.

What does the benchmark suite cover?

The maintained catalog has 73 workloads: 57 implemented and 16 marked unsupported. Implemented workloads compare equivalent Prismio, C++, and Rust algorithms with checksum validation. Missing features are recorded rather than replaced with benchmark-only substitutes.

Which documentation is authoritative?

The current compiler source and regression tests are the executable authority. Implementation articles explain the code; specifications explain intended contracts; evidence records explain measurements and rejected alternatives. When they differ, record the discrepancy and add a test.