What is Icon written in?
The Icon compiler is written in C.
Icon is a programming language, first released in 1977.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compiler | C (since 1977) | Icon compiler and runtime written in C |
Compiler implementation
The Icon compiler, written in C, translates Icon 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 Icon 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 Icon's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
Open Interactive Graph →Or view the Icon language page for the complete record.