184 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
184 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
# Claro Future Features Roadmap
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Current status: **historical implementation plan plus remaining ideas**.
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This file began as a task-by-task plan. Some early slices have since been completed or moved into current feature docs. For the current learner-facing truth, start with `CURRENT_STATUS.md`, `ROADMAP.md`, and `COMPLETE_PLATFORM_ROADMAP.md`.
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Already moved into current foundations:
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- typed list/map checking and clearer type mismatch diagnostics
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- IDE metadata and the command-based diagnostics helper
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- deterministic cooperative task commands
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- HTTP client safety with offline `claro://` test URLs
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- local project/package manifest and lockfile hardening
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Still planned or experimental:
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- real web server API
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- remote package registry/install flow
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- full editor extension/LSP experience
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- optional SDL graphics backend
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- optimization work backed by benchmarks
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**Goal:** Grow Claro from a beginner scripting language into a stable accessible platform without breaking the learning-friendly core.
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**Architecture:** Keep the interpreter small and stable. Add major systems behind explicit commands, feature flags, and testable layers. Prefer beginner-readable commands first, then deeper professional tooling around them.
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**Tech Stack:** C99 interpreter, `.claro` tests/golden outputs, optional helper tools in Python, optional platform libraries such as SDL only after isolated build support exists.
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---
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> Current note: this is not the beginner starting path. Use it for remaining implementation ideas only after checking `CURRENT_STATUS.md`.
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## Priority order
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1. **Advanced static typing foundation** — safest immediate win; improves learner feedback and catches mistakes before running.
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2. **Professional IDE foundations** — language metadata, diagnostics, formatter, LSP/documentation support.
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3. **Concurrency as real runtime feature** — cooperative tasks first; avoid native threads until semantics are clear.
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4. **Production-grade web programming** — HTTP primitives, JSON, routing/server design after safety model.
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5. **GUI/game engine features** — separate stable placeholder graphics from real optional SDL/GUI backends.
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6. **Online package registry** — design package metadata/security before network install.
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7. **Advanced compiler optimization** — only after semantics stabilize; start with bytecode/AST planning, not premature optimization.
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---
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## Track A: Advanced Static Typing
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### Task A1: Add typed LIST and MAP declarations
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**Objective:** Accept and check beginner-readable container type declarations such as `SET names LIST OF TEXT` and `SET scores MAP OF NUMBER`.
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `src/claro.c`
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- Test: `tests/40_static_container_good.claro`
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- Test: `tests/40_static_container_good.out`
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- Test: `tests/typecheck_container_bad.claro`
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**Steps:**
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1. Add a failing good test with `LIST OF TEXT` and `MAP OF NUMBER` declarations.
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2. Add a failing bad typecheck test where a `LIST OF NUMBER` receives text.
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3. Teach `claro_is_type_word`, `claro_type_matches`, and the typecheck parser to preserve simple container annotations.
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4. Verify `claro test` and `claro typecheck tests/typecheck_container_bad.claro`.
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### Task A2: Add clearer type mismatch messages
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**Objective:** Make type errors explain the variable, expected type, actual value kind, and line number in plain language.
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `src/claro.c`
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- Test: `tests/typecheck_bad.claro`
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**Steps:**
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1. Capture current bad output.
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2. Improve wording without changing successful behavior.
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3. Update tests/docs only after verifying the new wording is clearer.
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---
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## Track B: Professional IDE Foundations
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### Task B1: Expand `claro ide` JSON
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**Objective:** Output commands, snippets, type names, and file extension metadata for editor plugins.
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `src/claro.c`
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- Test: `tests/41_ide_metadata.claro` or a CLI validation script.
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**Steps:**
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1. Add expected JSON fields: `commands`, `snippets`, `diagnostics`, `version`.
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2. Validate with Python `json.loads`.
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3. Document in `docs/IDE.md`.
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### Task B2: Build minimal LSP helper
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**Objective:** Provide a Python helper that reads Claro files and returns diagnostics using `claro check`/`typecheck`.
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**Files:**
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- Create/modify: `support/lsp/claro_lsp_stub.py`
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- Create: `docs/IDE.md`
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---
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## Track C: Real Concurrency
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### Task C1: Define cooperative task semantics
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**Objective:** Document `START TASK`, `YIELD`, `WAIT TASK`, and `TASK STATUS` without native threads.
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**Files:**
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- Create: `docs/CONCURRENCY.md`
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- Test: future `tests/42_tasks_cooperative.claro`
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**Rule:** Start cooperative scheduling before OS threads. This keeps beginner programs deterministic.
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---
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## Track D: Web Programming
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### Task D1: Stabilize HTTP client commands
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**Objective:** Keep `HTTP CHECK`, `HTTP GET`, and `HTTP SAVE` predictable and testable with `claro://` URLs.
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `docs/WEB_SERVER_PLAN.md`
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- Tests: existing networking tests
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### Task D2: Design local web server syntax
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**Objective:** Propose beginner-friendly server syntax, but do not implement sockets until parser/runtime tests are ready.
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Example future shape:
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```claro
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WEB SERVER 8080
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WEB GET "/" DO home
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TEACH home request
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RETURN "Hello"
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END
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WEB START
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```
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---
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## Track E: GUI/Game Engine
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### Task E1: Separate placeholder graphics from real SDL
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**Objective:** Keep stable no-op graphics commands documented separately from optional SDL backends.
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `docs/SDL12.md`
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- Create: `docs/GRAPHICS.md`
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### Task E2: Optional SDL prototype branch
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**Objective:** Only after build scripts can find SDL 1.2 reliably, add `CLARO_WITH_SDL12` support behind a compile flag.
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---
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## Track F: Online Package Registry
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### Task F1: Define package manifest and lock security
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**Objective:** Design package metadata, versions, hashes, and allowed sources before downloads.
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**Files:**
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- Create: `docs/PACKAGE_REGISTRY.md`
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**Rule:** No online package install until hash verification and safe paths are implemented.
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---
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## Track G: Optimization
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### Task G1: Add timing benchmark command
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**Objective:** Measure before optimizing.
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**Files:**
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- Create: `tests/benchmarks/`
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- Create: `docs/PERFORMANCE.md`
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**Rule:** No optimizer work without benchmarks.
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