TLDR
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Self-hosting Object Pascal compiler targeting QBE (and LLVM), dropping 30 years of legacy: one string type, one language mode, full ARC.
Key Takeaways
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Replaces Free Pascal’s five string types and five language modes with a single UTF-8 reference-counted string and one dialect.
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Automatic reference counting applies uniformly to strings, classes, and interfaces;
[Weak] handles cycles; Free triggers immediate release.
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Already self-hosting with byte-for-byte reproducible bootstraps; 1200+ tests; QBE backend complete, LLVM backend in active development.
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Drops COM-style GUIDs in favor of compile-time vtable dispatch; reified generics via monomorphization; custom OPDF debug format instead of DWARF.
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Build toolchain is PasBuild with
project.xml; requires FPC 3.2.2 and a C compiler only to build the vendored QBE backend.
Hacker News Comment Review
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