specs

CURSED Language Specifications

CURSED is an esoteric programming language that follows Go-like grammar but uses Gen Z slang for keywords and tokens. The language is designed to be self-hosting via a bootstrapping compiler written in Rust.

Specification Documents

• Overview: Core design principles and language philosophy
• Lexical Structure: Tokens, keywords, and syntax structure
• Types: Type system and primitive types
• Grammar: Language grammar rules and syntax
• Memory Management: Memory management and garbage collection
• Error Handling: Error handling patterns and best practices
• Concurrency: Goroutines, channels, and concurrent programming
• Compiler Stages: Details of the bootstrapping process
• Standard Library: Core library functionality

Recent Changes

Pointer Syntax Evolution (2024)

CURSED has evolved its pointer syntax from the traditional @ symbol to the Among Us character ඞ (U+0D9E), making it the world's first programming language to use this iconic internet culture symbol for pointer operations.

Before (Legacy @ Syntax):

vibe main
yeet "vibez"

slay legacy_pointers() {
    sus x normie = 42
    sus ptr @normie = @x     // Old address-of syntax
    sus value normie = *ptr  // Dereference unchanged
    
    vibez.spill("Value: " + stringz.from_int(value))
}

After (Modern ඞ Syntax):

vibe main
yeet "vibez"

slay modern_pointers() {
    sus x normie = 42
    sus ptr ඞnormie = ඞx     // New Among Us address-of syntax
    sus value normie = *ptr  // Dereference unchanged
    
    vibez.spill("Value: " + stringz.from_int(value))
}

Cultural Impact:

This groundbreaking syntax change establishes CURSED as the first programming language to incorporate the Among Us character into its core syntax. The ඞ character has become synonymous with internet culture and Gen Z communication, making CURSED programs instantly recognizable to modern developers.

Technical Benefits:

• Visual distinctiveness: The ඞ character is unmistakable and reduces confusion with other operators
• Unicode compliance: Properly implements Unicode U+0D9E character support
• Parser efficiency: The unique character avoids conflicts with existing operator precedence
• Cultural relevance: Aligns with CURSED's Gen Z-focused design philosophy

Migration Guide:

Legacy @ syntax is deprecated and will be removed in future versions. All new code should use ඞ for address-of operations. See POINTER_SYNTAX_CHANGE.md for comprehensive migration documentation.

This change reflects CURSED's commitment to incorporating contemporary Gen Z culture into programming language design while maintaining technical excellence. See the individual specification documents for updated syntax examples.

Project Goals

1. Create a self-hosting compiler following the bootstrapping process
2. Maintain Go-like semantics while using Gen Z slang as syntax
3. Create a functional programming language that's both esoteric and practical
4. Learn compiler design and implementation techniques