What is Smalltalk written in?
The Smalltalk runtime is written in C.
Smalltalk is a programming language, first released in 1972.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | C (since 1995) | Squeak and Pharo VMs (primary Smalltalk implementations) written in C |
Runtime model
The Smalltalk runtime, written in C, manages the execution of Smalltalk programs. Runtime-based languages rely on a host process to interpret or compile code at runtime rather than compiling entirely ahead-of-time to native machine code. This means running Smalltalk programs requires the runtime to be present on the target system.
The choice of C for the runtime gives Smalltalk access to native performance, established platform abstractions, and existing ecosystem libraries.
Explore in the Graph
See Smalltalk's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
Open Interactive Graph →Or view the Smalltalk language page for the complete record.