What is Alef written in?
Alef is a discontinued concurrent programming language, designed as part of the Plan 9 operating system, first released in 1992.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compiler | C (since 1992) | Alef compiler written in C at Bell Labs |
Compiler implementation
The Alef compiler, written in C, translates Alef source code into an executable or intermediate format. The choice of implementation language affects the compiler's portability, build-time dependencies, and the path toward Alef eventually becoming self-hosting.
Many language compilers are written in C or C++ for maximum portability and performance. When a compiler is written in a higher-level language, it can leverage that language's abstractions for clearer compiler code, at the cost of a longer bootstrap dependency chain.
Explore in the Graph
See Alef's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
Open Interactive Graph →Or view the Alef language page for the complete record.