j++ Compiler CLI Reference

Review command-line options for compiling, debugging, and managing i++ libraries with j++.

The j++ compiler processes i++ .ix source and .ih library files. The current installed executable is still named hypotenuse; run it with a source file and optional flags:

hypotenuse [options] <file.ix>

The compiler is being renamed to j++. Until the executable rename is available in the C-triangle repository, use hypotenuse in commands as shown here.

Common commands

# Emit generated C to standard output
hypotenuse hello.ix

# Compile and link an executable
hypotenuse -c hello.ix

# Write output to a path
hypotenuse -c -o build/hello hello.ix

# Print tokens or the structure graph
hypotenuse -t hello.ix
hypotenuse -p hello.ix

# Pass additional flags to GCC
hypotenuse -c -C "-O2" hello.ix

# Install or remove a library
hypotenuse -i mylib.ih
hypotenuse -r mylib

Build a program

Add -c to compile and link an executable. Use -o to choose its path.

Inspect a program

Use -t for tokens, -p for the structure graph, or -a for assembly output.

Options

Option	Argument	Description
-c, --compile	—	Compile with GCC and produce an executable. Without this flag, emit generated C.
-o, --output	PATH	Set the output path.
-C, --cflags	FLAGS	Pass additional flags to GCC.
-t, --tokens	—	Print the lexical token stream and exit.
-p, --print	—	Print the structure graph instead of compiling.
-a, --asm	—	Show generated assembly; this output is a work in progress.
-T, --target	x86_64 or arm64	Set the assembly target architecture. Linux x86_64 is the supported target.
-F, --format	macho or elf	Select an object format. Use elf for Linux. macOS/Mach-O support is being dropped.
-i, --install	PATH	Install an .ih file to a PLIBS directory.
-r, --remove	NAME	Remove an .ih library from PLIBS.

Compiler pipeline

When you pass -c, the compiler processes your program through these stages:

.ix source -> lexer -> parser -> structure graph -> code generation
          -> generated C and assembly -> GCC/NASM -> Linux ELF executable

Supported target

Architecture	Operating system	Output
x86_64	Linux	ELF

The supported target is Linux x86_64. Options that mention ARM64 or Mach-O do not mean those targets are supported.