Compile to C languages are programming languages that can be compiled into C code, which can then be compiled by a C compiler for various platforms. This approach has several advantages, such as portability, performance, interoperability and access to existing C libraries and tools. In this article, we will compare some of the features and characteristics of six compile to C languages: BCX, Nim, V, Haxe, Beef and OOC.
BCX is a BASIC to C translator for Windows. It allows programmers to write code in a BASIC-like syntax and generate C source code that can be compiled by any C compiler. BCX supports most of the common features of BASIC, such as variables, arrays, strings, functions, loops, conditional statements and operators. It also provides some extensions and libraries for GUI development, file handling, graphics and sound.
Some of the advantages of BCX are:
It is easy to learn and use for beginners and hobbyists who are familiar with BASIC.
It produces small and fast executables that can run on any Windows platform.
It can leverage the power and flexibility of C by allowing inline C code and calling external C functions and libraries.
Some of the disadvantages of BCX are:
It is limited to Windows and does not support cross-platform development.
It does not support object-oriented programming or modern features such as generics, exceptions or concurrency.
It has a small and inactive community and development.
Nim is a statically typed, compiled language that can generate C, C++, Objective-C or JavaScript code. It has a Python-inspired syntax and supports multiple paradigms, such as imperative, functional, procedural, object-oriented and metaprogramming. Nim aims to be expressive, efficient and elegant.
Some of the advantages of Nim are:
It has a powerful macro system that allows compile-time code generation and manipulation.
It has a flexible foreign function interface that allows calling any C/C++/Objective-C/JavaScript function or library.
It has multiple garbage collectors and memory management options to suit different needs and scenarios.
It has a rich set of built-in features and standard libraries for various domains and tasks.
It has a large and active community and development.
Some of the disadvantages of Nim are:
It has a steep learning curve due to its complex syntax and semantics.
It has some inconsistencies and bugs in its compiler and libraries.
It has a lack of stability and compatibility due to frequent changes and breaking updates.
V is a simple, fast and safe language that can compile to C or native code. It has a similar syntax to Go and supports imperative, functional and object-oriented programming. V aims to be simple, readable and maintainable.
Some of the advantages of V are:
It has a fast compilation speed that can compile large programs in less than a second.
It has built-in memory management and safety features that prevent memory leaks, null pointer dereferences, undefined behavior and data races.
It has a minimalistic design that avoids unnecessary features and complexity.
It has a cross-platform support that can run on Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD, Android and iOS.
It has a growing community and development.
Some of the disadvantages of V are:
It is still in an early stage of development and lacks some features and libraries.
It has some performance issues and limitations due to its reliance on C backend.
It has some inconsistencies and ambiguities in its syntax and semantics.
Haxe is a high-level, cross-platform language that can compile to multiple targets, including C++, Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, PHP and more. It has an expressive syntax that supports multiple paradigms, such as imperative, functional, object-oriented and metaprogramming. Haxe aims to be versatile, modular and portable.
Some of the advantages of Haxe are:
It has a powerful macro system that allows compile-time code generation and manipulation .
It has a unified type system that supports static typing, dynamic typing and generics.
It has a modular design that allows creating and using custom libraries and frameworks for different targets and domains .
It has a cross-platform support that allows writing code once and running it on multiple platforms and environments .
It has a large and active community and development .
Beef is a performance-oriented compiled language that has been built hand-in-hand with its IDE environment. It has a syntax similar to C#, but with more low-level features and less runtime surprises. Beef aims to be expressive, efficient and safe.
Some of the advantages of Beef are:
It has a fast compilation speed that can compile large programs in seconds.
It has built-in memory management and safety features that prevent memory leaks, use-after-free and double-deletion errors.
It has a flexible foreign function interface that allows calling any C/C++ function or library.
It has a modular design that allows creating and using custom allocators and libraries for different domains and tasks.
It has a cross-platform support that can run on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and more.
Some of the disadvantages of Beef are:
It is still in an early stage of development and lacks some features and libraries.
It requires manual memory management and does not support garbage collection or automatic reference counting.
It has a small and inactive community and development.