6 ms·

By contrast, the Plan 9 C compiler does use the header when linking. Header files contain a prama statement with library name, removing the need for linker flag

by tujv 12y ago

By contrast, the Plan 9 C compiler does use the header when linking. Header files contain a prama statement with library name, removing the need for linker flags. See: http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/comp.html http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/comp.html

melling 12y ago
And when Rob Pike decided to create Go from that compiler, he just got rid of headers.
- pjmlp 12y ago
  Because the Go team did the right thing by adopting modules, which are as old as C in the computing world.
  - swah 12y ago
    What do you mean by "modules" here?
    - pjmlp 12y ago
      Go actually calls them packages. I just prefer the term modules, as it was introduced by Mesa and CLU in the 70's. Only languages based on C's primitive toolchain rely on basic separate compilation of translation units with textual includes for symbol definition. Modular languages, that make use of better toolchains, couple the concept of separate compilation, with strong type checking across compilation boundaries and compiler managed metadata for the exported symbols.
      - swah 12y ago
        Thanks for the explanation. Do you think the idea of implementation/interface separation, that C and Java allow easily, is also better in Go?
        pjmlp 12y ago
        I didn't got your question. Java packages are not that different from Go packages, in terms of CS concepts. Except for the set of issues that are debated to death about Go, the language is quite modular in Mesa tradition. Given Oberon's influence in Go's design[1], maybe you will find these books interesting, From http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/wirth/ http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/wirth/ check "Algorithms and Data Structures", "Project Oberon", "Compiler Construction". From http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Books/ http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Books/ check Object-Oriented Programming in Oberon-2.
ygra 12y ago
Some libraries do the same in Visual Studio, e.g. Boost. But you'd have a hard time finding the exact library name to link against there as well.
userbinator 12y ago
Microsoft's MSVC has this feature too: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7f0aews7.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7f0aews7.aspx
roel_v 12y ago
Linking is a separate step from compiling. It's a lot easier and clearer to keep that distinction. Of course, it's not as convenient, which is why I've fallen for the lure of pragma's in the past - but at some point, it will come back to bite you in the behind (wrong library linked, no library linked because of unusual combination of preproc variables, etc).

by tujv 12y ago

melling 12y ago

And when Rob Pike decided to create Go from that compiler, he just got rid of headers.

pjmlp 12y ago
Because the Go team did the right thing by adopting modules, which are as old as C in the computing world.
- swah 12y ago
  What do you mean by "modules" here?
  - pjmlp 12y ago
    Go actually calls them packages. I just prefer the term modules, as it was introduced by Mesa and CLU in the 70's. Only languages based on C's primitive toolchain rely on basic separate compilation of translation units with textual includes for symbol definition. Modular languages, that make use of better toolchains, couple the concept of separate compilation, with strong type checking across compilation boundaries and compiler managed metadata for the exported symbols.
    - swah 12y ago
      Thanks for the explanation. Do you think the idea of implementation/interface separation, that C and Java allow easily, is also better in Go?
      - pjmlp 12y ago
        I didn't got your question. Java packages are not that different from Go packages, in terms of CS concepts. Except for the set of issues that are debated to death about Go, the language is quite modular in Mesa tradition. Given Oberon's influence in Go's design[1], maybe you will find these books interesting, From http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/wirth/ http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/wirth/ check "Algorithms and Data Structures", "Project Oberon", "Compiler Construction". From http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Books/ http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Books/ check Object-Oriented Programming in Oberon-2.

ygra 12y ago

Some libraries do the same in Visual Studio, e.g. Boost. But you'd have a hard time finding the exact library name to link against there as well.

userbinator 12y ago

Microsoft's MSVC has this feature too: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7f0aews7.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7f0aews7.aspx

roel_v 12y ago

Linking is a separate step from compiling. It's a lot easier and clearer to keep that distinction. Of course, it's not as convenient, which is why I've fallen for the lure of pragma's in the past - but at some point, it will come back to bite you in the behind (wrong library linked, no library linked because of unusual combination of preproc variables, etc).