Roadmap - Developer Preview #2

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Developer Preview #2 (DP2)

DP2 is the next alpha release of Zorp's Jock language. (We call the October 2024 developer preview alpha DP1.) DP2 will allow developers to write Nock programs utilizing the Hoon standard library. Since the target Nock ISA will not change, programs produced with Jock DP2 will still be functional in the future even if syntax changes.

Our objective with Jock DP2 is to obtain developer feedback on syntax and affordances, as well as start to grow a user community interested in working with Nockchain or on the Zorp zkVM.

Punch List

• Hoon-based testing of AST and Nock generation Implement basic Hoon testing pattern. #11
• finish match type/match case keyword (with unit testing) Add match logic to AST and Nock. #7
• implement recursive types, starting with List Add list container and move symbol constants into atom type. #19
• List and Set type declaration Type declaration syntax #20
• Improved List/Set syntax Modify List/Set syntax. #21
• native syntax for map/set Modify List/Set syntax. #21
• general type declaration (+$) → class Add class support. #26
  • implement constructor as new Add class support. #26
  • fix method syntax Correct method behavior #37
  • change constructor to load Correct method behavior #37
  • fix state refs Fix state refs inside of class. #49
• upgrade testing to .* Add +test-nock arms, upgrade testing tools. #36
• rename match case to switch Convert match case to switch statement. #33
• flip wing syntax to left-to-right Swap wing resolution to left-to-right. #35
• infix operators Add operator syntax #38
• Hoon FFI/RPC interface Add Hoon FFI #39
  • stdlib basics Add Hoon FFI #39
• make tests real (currently {} breaks them in many cases)
• QoL issues
  • $() syntax Fix $(a) invocation syntax #45
  • string parsing Fix string parsing #46
• generalize container type implementation Generalize List and Set to accept jype instead of jype-leaf. #40
• class checklist
  • expose state as legs Add leg and state/type discrimination in class. #50
  • allow iterated evaluation on instances Add leg and state/type discrimination in class. #50
• prepare release materials
  • finish DP2 docs and tutorial
  • make at least one JockApp demo deferred for type reasons
  • flesh out some simple branding (Platform font, orange color good basis)
  • update website for release announcement
  • make a teaser video for @ZorpZK and @nockchain accounts to plug
• Nice to haves:
  • prettyprinter with print keyword Add prettyprinting #53
  • list index syntax
  • arbitrary import Convert library management to doors. #55, Generalize library loading in jockc. #56
  • switch to snake case (so x-1 is an expression rather than a name) Change from kebab case to snake case #57

Future Plans (Nonblocking)

These are concepts that we intend to implement moving forward from DP2's release.

• value injection (e.g. from choo CLI)
  • convert to input map like libs from Convert library management to doors. #55
• Map native syntax
• fix Set ordering
• proper Hoon stdlib return jype
• /~ directory import with choo (superseded by Convert library management to doors. #55)
• slog printing side effect Add prettyprinting #53
• class native implementation of List/Set/Map
• invoke w/i function by name (recurse)
• traits/templates → protocol
  • core polymorphism
• optimize Nock compilation a bit more like Hoon
• event loop NockApp (JockApp)
• crash handling with line numbers
• import support Add Hoon FFI #39
• REPL (event loop + NockApp)
• change operator associativity to left-to-right (intuitive) direction
• gate-building gate call syntax (sane('tas'; %test))
• posit floating-point support

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Possible gate-building gate syntaxes:

• sane[%tas, %test]
• sane('tas'; %test)
• sane(%tas, %test)

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Minimum viable path to Jock alpha:

• finish prettyprinter first draft (try traps)
• add some list/string index syntax (like Python has)
• maybe add Map type
• maybe add Path type for wires
• test JockApp

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Perhaps (map path cord) instead of (map term cord).