NanoLang is an experimental programming language engineered for LLM code generation, featuring a minimal, unambiguous syntax and mandatory testing. It transpiles to C, offering native performance and enhanced code quality for developers and AI systems alike.

How It Works

NanoLang employs prefix notation (e.g., (+ a (* b c))) to eliminate operator precedence ambiguity, simplifying parsing for both humans and AI. The language transpiles to C, ensuring native performance and broad compatibility. A core design tenet is mandatory testing, requiring every function to have an associated shadow test block, enforcing disciplined code quality.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Install: Clone the repository, cd nanolang, then run make build to compile the compiler.
• Platform Support: Tier 1 includes Ubuntu 22.04+, macOS 14+ (ARM64), and FreeBSD. Tier 2 supports Windows via WSL2. Tier 3 is experimental (macOS Intel, other Linux, OpenBSD).
• Prerequisites: For module usage, dependencies like SDL2, ncurses, and pkg-config may be required (managed via package managers like Homebrew or apt). WSL2 is recommended for Windows users.
• Links: User Guide (HTML), Getting Started, Quick Reference, Language Specification, Examples.

Highlighted Details

• Prefix notation for unambiguous expression evaluation.
• Mandatory shadow test blocks for every function.
• Static typing with type inference and support for generic types (e.g., Result<T, E>).
• Transpiles to C for native performance and compatibility.
• Module system with automatic dependency management for libraries like ncurses and sdl.
• Foreign Function Interface (FFI) for seamless C library integration.

Maintenance & Community

The project welcomes contributions, with specific areas for improvement outlined in CONTRIBUTING.md. No specific community links (e.g., Discord, Slack) or notable sponsors are detailed in the provided README.

Licensing & Compatibility

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0. This license generally permits commercial use and integration into closed-source projects without significant restrictions.

Limitations & Caveats

Native Windows binary generation (.exe) is not currently supported; users must utilize WSL2. Full support for generic functions, particularly for standard library helpers like Result unwrapping, is still under development.