Changelog

Changelog

[Unreleased] – Recent Major & Minor Updates

Language Features

• Declarative Statements Introduced new declarative keywords for expressive, styled runtime messages:

  • info: Print informational messages in cyan.
  • debug: Print debug messages in magenta for troubleshooting.
  • note: Print general notes in blue for context or reminders.
  • success: Print success messages in green to indicate successful operations.

  Sample:

  info "Starting backup..."
  debug "Current value: " + str(42)
  note "This script was last updated on 2024-06-01."
  success "Backup completed successfully!"
  

• Repeat Loops Added the repeat keyword for concise, fixed-count iteration:

  • Syntax: repeat 5 { ... } or repeat n { ... }
  • The default loop variable i is available inside the block, starting from 0.
  • Supports break and continue for flexible control flow.

  Sample:

  repeat 3 {
      println("Iteration:", i)
  }
  // Output:
  // Iteration: 0
  // Iteration: 1
  // Iteration: 2
  

• Function Default Parameters & Overloading Enhanced function definitions and calls:

  • Functions can now specify default values for parameters (e.g., func(name = "Guest")).
  • Function overloading and default parameters work seamlessly together.
  • Improved error messages for missing or ambiguous arguments, including line numbers and code snippets.

  Sample:

  let greet = func(name = "Guest") {
      println("Hello, " + name)
  }
  greet()        // Hello, Guest
  greet("Alice") // Hello, Alice
  
  let add = func(a, b = 10) {
      return a + b
  }
  println(add(5))      // 15
  println(add(5, 2))   // 7
  

• Pointer Improvements Improved pointer handling and documentation:

  • Added clear, safe pointer operations and examples.
  • See the updated pointers.md for details and best practices.

  Sample:

  let x = 10
  let p = &x      // Create a pointer to x
  println(*p)     // Dereference pointer, prints 10
  *p = 20         // Set value via pointer
  println(x)      // Prints 20
  

• Error Messages All runtime and compile-time errors are now more descriptive:

  • Function call errors include the function name, argument count, line number, and a code snippet.
  • General error messages are clearer and more actionable for users.

  Sample:

  greet(1, 2, 3)
  // Error: No matching overload for function 'greet' with 3 arguments at line 5. Source: greet(1, 2, 3)
  

Documentation & Examples

• Comprehensive documentation for all new features, including declaratives, repeat loops, and pointer usage.
• Updated and expanded code examples and tests to cover new language constructs and behaviors.

Refactoring & Code Quality

• Reduced code duplication in built-in functions and improved internal consistency.
• Refactored database modules (mysql, postgres) for clarity and reliability.
• Enhanced error handling and reporting throughout the codebase.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed error message formatting in the evaluator and math module.
• Improved handling of nil/null values and edge cases in core modules.

Miscellaneous

• Cleaned up obsolete files and improved project structure for maintainability.
• Commented out the main function in test_vm.go for easier manual testing.

---

Compiler & Virtual Machine (VM) Foundation

• New Bytecode Compiler & VM

  • Introduced a modern bytecode compiler and virtual machine for VintLang.
  • Supports integer arithmetic, boolean logic, and comparison operators.
  • Comprehensive tests for the compiler and VM ensure correctness and performance.
  • Lays the groundwork for future optimizations and advanced language features.

  Sample:

  // See test_vm.go for bytecode/VM usage and manual tests
  

---

Summary: These updates make VintLang more expressive, robust, and user-friendly. The language now supports modern declarative statements, flexible iteration, advanced function features, and improved error reporting—all backed by a new VM/compiler foundation for future growth.