An Elixir implementation of an interpreter for the Monkey programming language, built from scratch using functional patterns.
Writing An Interpreter In Elixir is an open-source implementation of an interpreter for the Monkey programming language, built entirely in Elixir. It provides a lexer, parser, and evaluator to execute Monkey code, serving as a functional programming adaptation of the original Go-based interpreter from the book 'Writing An Interpreter In Go'. The project demonstrates how to construct an interpreter using Elixir's immutable, functional paradigms without external dependencies.
Elixir developers interested in language implementation, compilers, or interpreters, as well as those learning functional programming through practical projects. It's also valuable for readers of 'Writing An Interpreter In Go' seeking a comparative functional approach.
Developers choose this project for its clean, dependency-free implementation that adheres to Elixir best practices, offering a hands-on way to explore interpreter design with functional patterns. It provides a fully tested, working interpreter with a REPL, making it both educational and practical for experimenting with language features.
Elixir implementation of an interpreter for the Monkey programming language
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Built solely with Elixir's standard library, eliminating external dependencies and simplifying setup, as highlighted in the README's 'Self-Contained' feature.
Uses recursive functions and pattern matching for the lexer and parser, adhering to Elixir best practices and avoiding mutable state, making it a clean functional adaptation.
The interpreter is fully functional with a working REPL and tests, providing a reliable base for experimentation, as stated in the README's usage section.
Serves as a practical resource for learning interpreter design and comparing Go's imperative patterns with Elixir's functional approach, based on the original book.
The README admits several TODOs, such as adding typespecs, dialyzer for static analysis, and removing nested conditions, indicating the project isn't fully polished.
Monkey is a simple educational language, so the interpreter lacks advanced features like concurrency or extensive built-in functions, limiting practical use.
Since the structure is derived from Go, the implementation might not leverage optimal Elixir idioms, as the author acknowledges in the README's philosophy section.