Compiler utilities

Unique identifiers

In the desugared representation or in the the scope language, a number of things are named using global identifiers. These identifiers use OCaml's type system to statically distinguish e.g. a scope identifier from a struct identifier.

The Catala_utils.Uid module provides a generative functor whose output is a fresh sort of global identifiers.

Related modules:

• Catala_utils.Uid Global identifiers factories using a generative functor

Source code positions

This module is used throughout the compiler to annotate the abstract syntax trees with information about the position of the element in the original source code. These annotations are critical to produce readable error messages.

Related modules:

• Catala_utils.Pos Source code position

Error messages

Error handling is critical in a compiler. The Catala compiler uses an architecture of error messages inspired by the Rust compiler, where error messages all correspond to the same exception. This exception carries messages and positions that are displayed in the end in a nicely-formatted error message.

Hence, all error thrown by the compiler should use Catala_utils.Message

Related modules:

• Catala_utils.Message Interface for emitting compiler messages.

Other utilies

Related modules:

• Catala_utils.File
• Catala_utils.Mark AST node annotations (used for position, type, etc.)
• Catala_utils.Cli
• Catala_utils.String
• Catala_utils.Suggestions