All knowledge is distilled from prior knowledge. I don’t think it matters what the author thinks or doesn’t think. The world is different than the one you knew now.
On optimization I deliberately aimed low: a small set of passes, nothing beyond what I could prove. Everything is verified against clang/gcc output on real software rather than against my own expectations, and the compiler compiles itself and reproduces itself bit-for-bit, so it's its own regression test. In practice the generated code holds up fine — DOOM runs smoothly, so do Lua. I chose provable correctness over speed; optimization is the least finished part of the project and there's real work left there.
I vouched for you here because this compiler is interesting to me and I'd like to see some discussion on it. All your comments are listed as 'dead' though. Likely because they seem to be LLM-generated. Maybe writing by hand or noting you're using an LLM for translation (if you are) would help.
The post probably should have been show HN too being posted by the author himself. I don't know all of the rules but perhaps it would be better for engagement if you reposted the project for him.
I was looking for a timeline given the title. Oldest path seems to be 3 months ago so $300 and 3 months? That could buy you a second-hand graphics card to run the current batch of local models.
I used my $100-per-month Cloud Code subscription. It was enough to build the compiler from scratch. Although the subscription also allowed me to work on other projects simultaneously, the methodology optimizes resource usage—an important aspect to demonstrate as well. That is why I chose to create a C compiler.
I am using an LLM solely to help improve my translation. The compiler works, and the code explains it very well. We can discuss the compiler and the method I used to create it with the help of AI.
Did the author really believe the LLM made the compiler by itself and not distilled (copied) from other compilers?
All knowledge is distilled from prior knowledge. I don’t think it matters what the author thinks or doesn’t think. The world is different than the one you knew now.
How did you handle the various optimizations and CPU architectures? compilers are notoriously easy to build but hard to optimize and maintain.
On optimization I deliberately aimed low: a small set of passes, nothing beyond what I could prove. Everything is verified against clang/gcc output on real software rather than against my own expectations, and the compiler compiles itself and reproduces itself bit-for-bit, so it's its own regression test. In practice the generated code holds up fine — DOOM runs smoothly, so do Lua. I chose provable correctness over speed; optimization is the least finished part of the project and there's real work left there.
I vouched for you here because this compiler is interesting to me and I'd like to see some discussion on it. All your comments are listed as 'dead' though. Likely because they seem to be LLM-generated. Maybe writing by hand or noting you're using an LLM for translation (if you are) would help.
The post probably should have been show HN too being posted by the author himself. I don't know all of the rules but perhaps it would be better for engagement if you reposted the project for him.
I was looking for a timeline given the title. Oldest path seems to be 3 months ago so $300 and 3 months? That could buy you a second-hand graphics card to run the current batch of local models.
I used my $100-per-month Cloud Code subscription. It was enough to build the compiler from scratch. Although the subscription also allowed me to work on other projects simultaneously, the methodology optimizes resource usage—an important aspect to demonstrate as well. That is why I chose to create a C compiler.
Don't get me wrong. I'm here because I'm interested as well.
- Wall clock time is three months(?)
- Cost $300 possibly shared by other projects(Does CC provide credits or a token measure?)
- How much of your own time was spent interacting with Claude and/or thinking in parallel to his work?
- Did the service go down during those three months(including subpar service by a substitute "flash" model)?
I tried to post as "Show HN", but HN restricts Show HN for new accounts.
I am using an LLM solely to help improve my translation. The compiler works, and the code explains it very well. We can discuss the compiler and the method I used to create it with the help of AI.