x86 Bare Metal and Custom Runtime Programming

Abstract:  "kernel in D" is a fairly common topic on forums. I've written a minimal runtime and then rebuilt it back up to the point where we can produce a ~30 KB stand-alone executable which can be used on Linux or on bare metal with the support of a decently large subset of the language (classes, exceptions, even closures with some manual care). By creatively hacking the RTInfo facility in object.d, we can also perform some static checks on defined types to help confirm to performance or correctness checks.

For example, storing a slice without the GC is prone to losing track of who owns the memory. Using RTInfo and compile time reflection, we can scan all user types and issue a compile error any time this is done, directing the user to use an owned array struct instead.

It is also worth noting that such techniques may be usable in the full druntime as well, without stepping on other uses, e.g. precise GC.

Benefits: Get acquianted with what really makes D tick - its core runtime library.

Speaker Bio: I've been a freelance programmer since 2009, using primarily D as a server-side web language. For the last several months, I have also been working on writing a D "cookbook" for people to learn the language through practical examples. I joined the D community in 2007 and started programming (with assembly language and Digital Mars C) in 1999. My open source and hobbyist experience covers a wide spectrum of programming related fields from bare metal code to compilers to homemade games.