Compiler Bootstrap Plan

The official Java toolchain builds one frontend and one Truffle execution path. Delivered behavior is recorded in the version index; this page defines the structural path toward 1.0.

Foundation

The root Gradle Kotlin DSL build pins Java, Truffle, and test dependencies and builds the single compiler product module. SourceFile, SourceSpan, Diagnostic, formatting checks, and CI are shared foundations for later stages.

Lexer and Parser

The lexer and hand-written parser produce an AST with complete SourceSpan information. Error recovery must produce stable diagnostics and let the formatter, LSP, and compiler share the same syntax structure.

Semantic model

Name resolution, nominal typing, generic constraints, nullable flow analysis, definite assignment, and call binding write to SemanticModel. Arguments are mapped to parameters once while preserving source evaluation order.

Canonical Core

The binder fixes expression types, value and identity categories, call targets, control-flow edges, and reified generic information. CoreBuilder converts the result into deterministic Core IR. Definition identity contains canonical content and fixed dependencies, while authoring names and source locations live separately in namespace and occurrence metadata.

Truffle backend

The lowerer consumes only CoreArtifact and creates function call targets, frame slots, control-flow nodes, and interop boundaries. CLI distributions carry the same execution implementation and a platform runtime.

Acceptance

Each stage includes syntax, semantic, runtime, and real CLI tests. Documentation examples participate in validation, and development entry points and release distributions preserve the same observable behavior.