path: root/doc/astspec.txt

The AST in Nim
=================
This section describes how the AST is modelled with Nim's type system.
The AST consists of nodes (``NimNode``) with a variable number of
children. Each node has a field named ``kind`` which describes what the node
contains:

.. code-block:: nim

  type
    NimNodeKind = enum     ## kind of a node; only explanatory
      nnkNone,             ## invalid node kind
      nnkEmpty,            ## empty node
      nnkIdent,            ## node contains an identifier
      nnkIntLit,           ## node contains an int literal (example: 10)
      nnkStrLit,           ## node contains a string literal (example: "abc")
      nnkNilLit,           ## node contains a nil literal (example: nil)
      nnkCaseStmt,         ## node represents a case statement
      ...                  ## many more

    NimNode = ref NimNodeObj
    NimNodeObj = object
      case kind: NimNodeKind           ## the node's kind
      of nnkNone, nnkEmpty, nnkNilLit:
        discard                        ## node contains no additional fields
      of nnkCharLit..nnkInt64Lit:
        intVal: biggestInt             ## the int literal
      of nnkFloatLit..nnkFloat64Lit:
        floatVal: biggestFloat         ## the float literal
      of nnkStrLit..nnkTripleStrLit:
        strVal: string                 ## the string literal
      of nnkIdent:
        ident: NimIdent                ## the identifier
      of nnkSym:
        symbol: NimSymbol              ## the symbol (after symbol lookup phase)
      else:
        sons: seq[NimNode]             ## the node's sons (or children)

For the ``NimNode`` type, the ``[]`` operator has been overloaded:
``n[i]`` is ``n``'s ``i``-th child.

To specify the AST for the different Nim constructs, the notation
``nodekind(son1, son2, ...)`` or ``nodekind(value)`` or 
``nodekind(field=value)`` is used.

Some child may be missing. A missing child is a node of kind ``nnkEmpty``; 
a child can never be nil.


Leaf nodes/Atoms
================
A leaf of the AST often corresponds to a terminal symbol in the concrete 
syntax.

-----------------                ---------------------------------------------
Nim expression                   corresponding AST
-----------------                ---------------------------------------------
``42``                           ``nnkIntLit(intVal = 42)``
``42'i8``                        ``nnkInt8Lit(intVal = 42)``
``42'i16``                       ``nnkInt16Lit(intVal = 42)``
``42'i32``                       ``nnkInt32Lit(intVal = 42)``
``42'i64``                       ``nnkInt64Lit(intVal = 42)``
``42.0``                         ``nnkFloatLit(floatVal = 42.0)``
``42.0'f32``                     ``nnkFloat32Lit(floatVal = 42.0)``
``42.0'f64``                     ``nnkFloat64Lit(floatVal = 42.0)``
``"abc"``                        ``nnkStrLit(strVal = "abc")``
``r"abc"``                       ``nnkRStrLit(strVal = "abc")``
``"""abc"""``                    ``nnkTripleStrLit(strVal = "abc")``
``' '``                          ``nnkCharLit(intVal = 32)``
``nil``                          ``nnkNilLit()``
``myIdentifier``                 ``nnkIdent(ident = !"myIdentifier")``
``myIdentifier``                 after lookup pass: ``nnkSym(symbol = ...)``
-----------------                ---------------------------------------------

Identifiers are ``nnkIdent`` nodes. After the name lookup pass these nodes
get transferred into ``nnkSym`` nodes.


Calls/expressions
=================

Command call
------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  echo "abc", "xyz"

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCommand(nnkIdent(!"echo"), nnkStrLit("abc"), nnkStrLit("xyz"))


Call with ``()``
----------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  echo("abc", "xyz")

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCall(nnkIdent(!"echo"), nnkStrLit("abc"), nnkStrLit("xyz"))


Infix operator call
-------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  "abc" & "xyz"

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkInfix(nnkIdent(!"&"), nnkStrLit("abc"), nnkStrLit("xyz"))


Prefix operator call
--------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  ? "xyz"

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkPrefix(nnkIdent(!"?"), nnkStrLit("abc"))


Postfix operator call
---------------------

**Note:** There are no postfix operators in Nim. However, the 
``nnkPostfix`` node is used for the *asterisk export marker* ``*``:

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  identifier*

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkPostfix(nnkIdent(!"*"), nnkIdent(!"identifier"))


Call with named arguments
-------------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  writeln(file=stdout, "hallo")

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCall(nnkIdent(!"writeln"), 
          nnkExprEqExpr(nnkIdent(!"file"), nnkIdent(!"stdout")), 
          nnkStrLit("hallo"))


Dereference operator ``[]``
---------------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  x[]

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkDerefExpr(nnkIdent(!"x"))


Addr operator
-------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  addr(x)

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkAddr(nnkIdent(!"x"))


Cast operator
-------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  cast[T](x)

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCast(nnkIdent(!"T"), nnkIdent(!"x"))


Object access operator ``.``
----------------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  x.y

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkDotExpr(nnkIdent(!"x"), nnkIdent(!"y"))


Array access operator ``[]``
----------------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  x[y]

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkBracketExpr(nnkIdent(!"x"), nnkIdent(!"y"))


Parentheses
-----------

Parentheses for affecting operator precedence or tuple construction 
are built with the ``nnkPar`` node.

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  (1, 2, (3))

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkPar(nnkIntLit(1), nnkIntLit(2), nnkPar(nnkIntLit(3)))
  
  
Curly braces
------------

Curly braces are used as the set constructor. 

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  {1, 2, 3}

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCurly(nnkIntLit(1), nnkIntLit(2), nnkIntLit(3))


Brackets
--------

Brackets are used as the array constructor.  

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  [1, 2, 3]

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkBracket(nnkIntLit(1), nnkIntLit(2), nnkIntLit(3))


Ranges
------

Ranges occur in set constructors, case statement branches or array slices.

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  1..3

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkRange(nnkIntLit(1), nnkIntLit(3))


If expression
-------------

The representation of the if expression is subtle, but easy to traverse.

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  if cond1: expr1 elif cond2: expr2 else: expr3

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkIfExpr(
    nnkElifExpr(cond1, expr1),
    nnkElifExpr(cond2, expr2),
    nnkElseExpr(expr3)
  )


Statements
==========

If statement
------------

The representation of the if statement is subtle, but easy to traverse. If
there is no ``else`` branch, no ``nnkElse`` child exists.

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  if cond1: 
    stmt1
  elif cond2:
    stmt2
  elif cond3:
    stmt3
  else:
    stmt4

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkIfStmt(
    nnkElifBranch(cond1, stmt1),
    nnkElifBranch(cond2, stmt2),
    nnkElifBranch(cond3, stmt3),
    nnkElse(stmt4)
  )


When statement
--------------

Like the ``if`` statement, but the root has the kind ``nnkWhenStmt``.


Assignment
----------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  x = 42

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkAsgn(nnkIdent(!"x"), nnkIntLit(42))


Statement list
--------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  stmt1
  stmt2
  stmt3

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkStmtList(stmt1, stmt2, stmt3)

  
Case statement
--------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  case expr1
  of expr2, expr3..expr4: 
    stmt1
  of expr5:
    stmt2
  elif cond1:
    stmt3
  else:
    stmt4

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkCaseStmt(
    expr1,
    nnkOfBranch(expr2, nnkRange(expr3, expr4), stmt1),
    nnkOfBranch(expr5, stmt2),
    nnkElifBranch(cond1, stmt3),
    nnkElse(stmt4)
  )

The ``nnkElifBranch`` and ``nnkElse`` parts may be missing.


While statement
---------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  while expr1:
    stmt1

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkWhileStmt(expr1, stmt1)


For statement
-------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  for ident1, ident2 in expr1:
    stmt1

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkForStmt(ident1, ident2, expr1, stmt1)


Try statement
-------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  try:
    stmt1
  except e1, e2: 
    stmt2
  except e3:
    stmt3
  except: 
    stmt4
  finally:
    stmt5

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkTryStmt(
    stmt1, 
    nnkExceptBranch(e1, e2, stmt2), 
    nnkExceptBranch(e3, stmt3), 
    nnkExceptBranch(stmt4),
    nnkFinally(stmt5)
  )


Return statement
----------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  return expr1

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkReturnStmt(expr1)


Yield statement
---------------

Like ``return``, but with ``nnkYieldStmt`` kind.


Discard statement
-----------------

Like ``return``, but with ``nnkDiscardStmt`` kind.


Continue statement
------------------

Concrete syntax:

.. code-block:: nim
  continue

AST:

.. code-block:: nim
  nnkContinueStmt()

Var section
-----------

To be written.


Const section
-------------

To be written.


Type section
------------

To be written.


Procedure declaration
---------------------

To be written.


Iterator declaration
--------------------

To be written.


Template declaration
--------------------

To be written.


Macro declaration
-----------------

To be written.


Special node kinds
==================

There are several node kinds that are used for semantic checking or code 
generation. These are accessible from this module, but should not be used.
Other node kinds are especially designed to make AST manipulations easier.
These are explained here. 

To be written.