DDMD and Automated Conversion from C++ to D

Abstract:  One of the long-standing problems hindering DMD has been that the compiler is written in C++, not D. Over the last two years, the DDMD project has attempted to automatically convert the majority of DMD to D. Where previous attempts have failed, DDMD has successfully produced a fully functional compiler, and is on track to replace the original C++ codebase. This talk covers the tools and techniques used, the problems encountered along the way, and explores possible applications of the same approach to other projects.

Content I plan to cover includes:

• Motivation for converting the project to D.
• Evaluation of other attempts at replacing the C++ frontend such as the original DDMD and SDC.
• How magicport (the conversion tool) works and the advantages and disadvantages of the approach.
• Major problems faced along the way, focusing on extended C++ interop support and C++ constructs not directly expressible in D.
• Current progress on the DDMD project and future plans (including performance evaluation of DDMD)
• Application to other projects (this will include a case study of converting another medium-sized project if I have time)

Speaker Bio: Daniel is a Computer Engineer from Sydney, Australia. His notable projects in the D community include DDMD, magicport and ylink. He has been a regular contributor to DMD since 2011 under the name "yebblies". His interests include compilers, digital hardware, and embedded systems.