[Python-Dev] Python and compilers

[Michael Foord]

On 06/04/2010 23:31, "Martin v. Löwis" wrote:
> willian at ufpa.br wrote:
>    
>> First, thank you for all opnion. Each one was considered.
>> I think the better question would be:
>> I have to develop a project that involves compilers, and being a fan of
>> Python, I thought about making a compiler for it (most basic idea involving
>> Pythin and compilers). But I saw that I can use what I learned from
>> compilers not only to create a compiler. What is the area of developing the
>> Python interpreter that I could build my project, and please give me
>> interesting ideas for the project.
>>      
> I don't think the question is necessarily off-topic.
>
> I can propose two projects, related to Python core:
>
> - 2to3 pattern compiler: 2to3 currently uses an interpreter for pattern
>    matching. It does "compile" the patterns into some intermediate form,
>    however, that is actually interpreted with an interpreter written in
>    Python (actually, it is self-interpreted). It might be interesting to
>    compile the pattern into actual Python code, with the hope of it
>    executing faster than it does now (and yes, I proposed a similar, but
>    different GSoC topic also; the two approaches are orthogonal, though).
>
> - IDLE code completion. Currently, IDLE has some form of code
>    completion, which is fairly limited. It might be useful to produce a
>    better code completion library, one that works more statically and
>    less based on introspection. In particular, optimistic type inference
>    might help (optimistic in the sense "if foo has a method .isalpha, it
>    probably is a string). In code completion, exact type inference isn't
>    necessary; giving a superset (i.e. a union type) might still be
>    helpful.
>
>    

This would be very useful to many Python IDE projects. Getting it right 
is one thing, getting it fast enough to be useful is another (i.e. it is 
a difficult problem) - but yes, could be both interesting and useful.

Michael


> In addition, to-python compilers may also be interesting in various HTML
> templating languages, e.g. Django templating, Zope page templates, and
> the like (although some of them already have compilers of some form on
> their own).
>
> HTH,
> Martin
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