Radix 0.9.0

Install this version#

No prebuilt archives were published for this version. It is listed here because its release notes are part of the record.

Release notes#

Self-hosting bootstrap begins. This release pivots the bootstrap target from Zig to TypeScript and delivers the core compiler infrastructure: a full precedence-climbing parser skeleton in Faber itself, two-pass semantic analysis for forward references, local module import resolution, and several language additions (finge, fac...dum, relative imports).

Scale#

Major tracks#

Bootstrap pivot: Zig → TypeScript#

• Pivots the bootstrap target from Zig to TypeScript, renaming the original plan to bootstrap-zig.md and creating bootstrap-ts.md with a simplified plan. Rationale: TS codegen is mature, same Bun runtime, no allocator complexity. Estimated 14–19 days vs 20–28 for Zig. (96d95652c)
• Adds `curata` keyword to the bootstrap lexicon (needed for allocator annotation in Faber source). (e4efe11ef)

Self-hosted parser skeleton (fons-fab)#

• Adds the bootstrap parser skeleton — 16 new .fab files implementing nucleus (core Parser genus with token navigation), errores (error codes P001–P205), typus (type annotation parsing), precedence-climbing expression parsers (binaria, unaria, primaria), and statement parsers (actio, massa, varia, index) with TODO stubs. Also fixes keyword-as-method-name and non-statement-keyword-as-identifier handling. (054615ffb)
• Documents the Resolvitor blocker: parser modules have mutual recursion (expressions need blocks, statements need expressions); the solution is a Resolvitor context with function pointers, but Faber lacks function type syntax. Creates resolvitor.fab in a blocked state. (babed8287)
• Uses the pactum Resolvitor pattern to break parser circular imports. The pactum defines method signatures; parser modules import only the Resolvitor interface (r.massa(), r.expressia()) — no direct imports between expression and statement modules. Proof-of-concept on sententia/error.fab. (a0f0704f5)
• Converts all 12 parser files to the Resolvitor pattern — they compile cleanly. Key changes: functions take Resolvitor r instead of Parser p, cross-module calls use r.expressia()/r.sententia()/r.adnotatio(), and removed fac...dum (do-while) in favor of regular while loops. Blockers remain: AST types are class not discretio variants, so they can't be returned as Expressia/Sententia. (0b5c2986b)

Two-pass semantic analysis#

• Implements three-phase analysis for within-file forward references: Phase 1a predeclares all top-level names with placeholder types, Phase 1b resolves signatures, Phase 1c iteratively resolves type aliases to fixed point, Phase 1d detects circular type aliases, Phase 2 analyzes bodies with a complete symbol table. Enables forward references and mutual recursion within a file. (7cd405bad)
• Rewrites `two-pass.md` from a proposal into an implementation doc covering the five-phase structure, enabled patterns, type alias cycle detection, remaining work (throwability), migration plan, and test coverage. (b8129ad86)
• Clarifies scope: cross-file imports are handled by modules.ts; two-pass is needed for within-file forward refs. Adds Open Questions section covering genus method forward refs, tempta/cape throwability, pactum conformance timing, top-level variable ordering, and generics. (a7fdf1903)

Local imports and module resolution#

• Adds local file import resolution for .fab modules: a new modules.ts handles path resolution, file loading, and export extraction. All top-level declarations are exports. Relative imports (./foo, ../bar) resolve from the importing file's directory. Circular imports are detected with full cycle path. Diamond dependencies work via module caching. CLI now passes file path to the analyzer. (746df4fcd)
• Converts fons-fab forward declarations to relative imports across 22 files, replacing duplicate Locus genus definitions with proper imports from ast/positio.fab. Fixes a typus.fab keyword conflict (renamed field typus → adnotatio), removes Zig-specific curata alloc from lexor/index.fab, and adds Symbolum/LexorType imports. (7ddd715ad)

Language additions#

• Adds `finge` keyword (Latin: to form/shape) for discretio (tagged union) variant construction, distinct from novum (struct instantiation). Supports explicit type via qua, inferred type, and unit variants. Codegen for all 6 targets (TS, Python, Rust, Zig, C++, Faber). (51a34dac2)
• Adds `fac...dum` (do-while loop) syntax: fac { body } dum condition with optional catch handler. Codegen emits idiomatic do-while in C++/TS, loop+break in Rust/Python/Zig. (1b62ae062)

Planning and documentation#

• Updates `bootstrap-ts.md` removing the 'Current Blockers' section — all issues resolved (mutual recursion → pactum Resolvitor, discretio instantiation → finge, function hoisting → two-pass, do-while loops → fac...dum). Adds 'Discretio Variant Construction' section with finge example, renames 'Current Blockers' → 'Gotchas', updates Session 3 lessons. (5ff64f33c)
• Updates planning docs across bootstrap-ts.md and two-pass.md. (1764f3f7f)
• Updates GRAMMAR.md plus grammatica/functiones.md, grammatica/regimen.md, and grammatica/structurae.md. (42bd26f3e)
• Updates `lambda.fab` exemplum. (8103feb11)

Cleanup#

• Removes duplicate `nihil` keyword entry: null serves as both a literal value and a unary operator, but the duplicate was dead code (Map stores one value per key). Keeps the value category entry with a comment explaining the dual usage. (88fc03180)

---

All releases · Install the current release