MLang 🧠

MLang is a custom programming language with a unique syntax and structure, built using ANTLR4 and Java.
It supports variables, arithmetic expressions, functions, control flow (if, while), output (show), input (take()), and block scoping.

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🚀 Features Implemented

✅ Language Constructs

• Variable declarations (with let)

  let x > int = 5;
  

• Assignments

  x = x + 1;
  

• Arithmetic expressions

  x + 3 * 4;
  

• Comparison expressions

  if (x == 0) [ ... ]
  

• show(...) for printing values

  show(x);
  

• take() for user input

  let x > int = take();
  

• if-else control flow

  if (x > 0) [ show(1); ] else [ show(0); ]
  

• while loops

  while (x < 5) [ ... ]
  

• Function declarations and calls

  func add(x > int, y > int) > int [
      return x + y;
  ]
  let result > int = add(2, 3);
  

• Block scoping using square brackets

  [ stmt1; stmt2; ]
  

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✅ Parsing + AST

• ANTLR4 Grammar (MLang.g4) custom defined
• AST Node Hierarchy:
  • ProgramNode, LetDeclNode, AssignStmtNode, ExprStmtNode
  • BinaryOpNode, IntLiteralNode, IdNode, InputExprNode
  • IfStmtNode, WhileStmtNode, ShowStmtNode, BlockNode
  • FuncDeclNode, FuncCallNode, ReturnStmtNode
• AST built via MLangASTBuilder.java using ANTLR MLangBaseVisitor
• AST pretty-printer (printAST) for visualization

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✅ Interpreter

• Interpreter implemented (runtime/Interpreter.java)
• Executes programs by visiting AST nodes:
  • Variable environment management
  • Expression evaluation
  • Function call/return stack with local scope
  • Control flow execution (if, while)
  • Output to console using show
  • Input from user using take()
• Handles both integer and boolean conditions

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🛠️ Build & Execution Instructions

📂 Adding Test Files

• Place .ml test programs inside the tests/ folder.
• Example: tests/input_test.ml

let x > int = take();
show(x + 1);

▶️ Running the Project

From the MLANG/ root directory:

make clean
make

✅ make handles ANTLR code generation, Java compilation, and execution.

To run a specific test file:
Edit TestMLang.java:

String inputCode = Files.readString(Paths.get("tests/input_test.ml"));

Then rerun make.

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📦 Project Structure

MLANG/
├── src/
│   ├── MLang.g4               # ANTLR grammar
│   ├── MLangASTBuilder.java   # AST builder
│   ├── TestMLang.java         # Main driver (AST print + Interpreter run)
│   ├── ast/                   # AST Node classes
│   └── runtime/               # Interpreter and Environment
├── gen/                       # ANTLR-generated parser and lexer
├── bin/                       # Compiled .class files
├── lib/                       # antlr-4.13.1-complete.jar
├── tests/                     # Test programs (.ml)
├── Makefile                   # Build automation
└── README.md

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🧪 Sample Input Program

let num > int = take();
show(num + 1);

📖 Sample AST Output

Program
  VarDecl: num > int
    InputExpr (take)
  Show
    BinaryOp: +
      Id: num
      IntLiteral: 1

📤 Sample Execution Output

take> 42
43

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⚠️ Challenges Encountered

• ANTLR Output Directory Problems:
  Fixed by running ANTLR from src/ with output to gen/.

• Classpath and Compilation Issues:
  Used $(wildcard gen/*.java) and explicitly included src/runtime/*.java.

• Variable Initialization Order:
  Interpreter defines variable names before evaluating their initializers.

• Return flow handling in functions:
  Used ReturnException to simulate non-local returns.

• Local scope for functions:
  Functions execute in isolated environments (not modifying global state).

• Input support:
  Added take() expression for reading integers via Scanner.

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📜 Future Extensions

• Add float and bool types fully (currently only int supported)
• Add support for recursion and higher-order functions
• Add arrays, for loops, and standard library support
• Improve parser error messages (currently minimal error recovery)

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🧠 Author
Mudit Golchha
CS571 – Programming Languages
Binghamton University