Question 1

How do I add a new built-in function to the Monkey interpreter in Elixir?

Accepted Answer

You need to modify the evaluator module to define the function logic and update the environment. Refer to existing built-in functions in the codebase for examples, as the project uses immutable state management.

Question 2

What's the difference between building an interpreter in Elixir vs Go?

Accepted Answer

Elixir uses functional, immutable patterns with recursion and pattern matching, while Go relies on imperative loops and mutable state. This project directly contrasts these approaches, making it insightful for learning.

Question 3

Is this interpreter fast enough for running complex Monkey scripts?

Accepted Answer

Performance isn't optimized since it's an educational implementation. For complex scripts, it may be slower than production interpreters due to recursive evaluation and simple design.

Question 4

Can I integrate this interpreter into my Elixir application?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can embed it by calling evaluator functions directly, but it lacks APIs for seamless integration and is primarily designed for learning, not production use.

Question 5

How do I run a Monkey script from a file using this interpreter?

Accepted Answer

The project only includes a REPL out of the box. To run files, you'd need to extend it by reading file content and passing it to the evaluator, as this feature isn't implemented.

Question 6

What are the main challenges when porting an interpreter from Go to Elixir?

Accepted Answer

Key challenges include managing immutable environments instead of mutable state, replacing loops with tail recursion, and adapting error handling to functional patterns without early returns.

Monkey

What is Monkey?

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Frequently Asked Questions