What do you want to see in a systems programming language?

Question

I am working on a new systems programming language, similar to C++ with syntax that somewhat resembles Go or LLVM in some ways. While it isnt quite ready (at least a month away from alpha release), I am curious what features are the most desired in a systems programming language. I'd like to get inspiration for new language features. Pain points with C++, Rust, C, Zig etc.. What you like, don't like, etc.

simonblack · Accepted Answer

A quick and easy way to add peripherals.
That's more than just device-drivers, you have to work out a consistent interface between the 'system' and all of the peripherals, rather than looking at the individual interactions of the system with individual peripherals.
In a way, you need something like the UNIX concept of 'everything is a file'. (Only more so.)
My hobby is writing emulators for real machines from the past. Most of my effort is in emulating the peripherals interactions with the CPU and RAM.
I have recently been looking at minicomputers of the 1970s. They seem to have had the concept of the peripheral doing all the work, with the 'system' merely 'asking a limited number of code questions' and the system 'getting a limited number of answers' from the peripherals.

billconan · Answer

I want documentation, especially block diagram be the first class citizen of a programming language, such that parsing the code will generate project visualizations that can help me understand the big picture.

mikewarot · Answer

A same way to handle strings, or return a complex structure without having to preallocate a buffer to write into, etc.Clear semantics for dealing with threads and multiple cores.Static type checking

efferifick · Answer

I will be in the minority here, but:Native integration with Datalog.Many times, I find myself working on a program and I realize that what I need is a database. But having a database, even sqlite3 or Berkely DB, would be an overkill. If I could just express my data and the relationships between them, then I would be able to query what I need in an efficient way.

AlectronikLabs · Answer

I would love to see a systems programming language with classes which were usable on bare metal, like with c++ and unlike e.g. D or free pascal where a runtime is required.Any homepage of your project @OP to check for the alpha?

tomcam · Answer

A debugger

b20000 · Answer

i never heard the term &ldquo;systems programming language&rdquo; before. is that a FAANG invention?

What do you want to see in a systems programming language?

I want documentation, especially block diagram be the first class citizen of a programming language, such that parsing the code will generate project visualizations that can help me understand the big picture.

A same way to handle strings, or return a complex structure without having to preallocate a buffer to write into, etc.
Clear semantics for dealing with threads and multiple cores.
Static type checking

I would love to see a systems programming language with classes which were usable on bare metal, like with c++ and unlike e.g. D or free pascal where a runtime is required.
Any homepage of your project @OP to check for the alpha?

A debugger

i never heard the term “systems programming language” before. is that a FAANG invention?