SmartEiffel
Encyclopedia
SmartEiffel is a free
Eiffel
compiler
. The compiler translates Eiffel code either to C
or Java bytecode
. Hence it can be used to write programs that run on virtually any platform for which an ANSI C
compiler or a Java virtual machine
exist.
SmartEiffel has been developed at the Lorraine Laboratory of Research in Information Technology and its Applications (LORIA), an institute affiliated to the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA), on the campus of Nancy-Université
in Lorraine
.
The project was initiated in 1994 by the French researcher Dominique Colnet. The compiler was then called SmallEiffel, in reference to the Smalltalk
language. In 1995, the compiler was able to compile itself
for the first time. In 1998, on the occasion of a visit to LORIA by Richard Stallman
, the project became part of the GNU Project
. In December 2002, the project was renamed SmartEiffel and reached version 1.0. In September 2004, SmartEiffel reached version 2.0.
In May 2005, after divergences with the working group for the normalization of the Eiffel language, the SmartEiffel project announced that they would not implement the ECMA TC39-TG4 norm.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
Eiffel
Eiffel (programming language)
Eiffel is an ISO-standardized, object-oriented programming language designed by Bertrand Meyer and Eiffel Software. The design of the language is closely connected with the Eiffel programming method...
compiler
Compiler
A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language...
. The compiler translates Eiffel code either to C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
or Java bytecode
Java bytecode
Java bytecode is the form of instructions that the Java virtual machine executes. Each bytecode opcode is one byte in length, although some require parameters, resulting in some multi-byte instructions. Not all of the possible 256 opcodes are used. 51 are reserved for future use...
. Hence it can be used to write programs that run on virtually any platform for which an ANSI C
ANSI C
ANSI C refers to the family of successive standards published by the American National Standards Institute for the C programming language. Software developers writing in C are encouraged to conform to the standards, as doing so aids portability between compilers.-History and outlook:The first...
compiler or a Java virtual machine
Java Virtual Machine
A Java virtual machine is a virtual machine capable of executing Java bytecode. It is the code execution component of the Java software platform. Sun Microsystems stated that there are over 4.5 billion JVM-enabled devices.-Overview:...
exist.
SmartEiffel has been developed at the Lorraine Laboratory of Research in Information Technology and its Applications (LORIA), an institute affiliated to the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA), on the campus of Nancy-Université
Nancy-Université
Nancy-Université federates the three principal institutes of higher education of Nancy, in Lorraine, France:* Henri Poincaré University : natural sciences, wrapping several faculties and engineering schools...
in Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
.
The project was initiated in 1994 by the French researcher Dominique Colnet. The compiler was then called SmallEiffel, in reference to the Smalltalk
Smalltalk
Smalltalk is an object-oriented, dynamically typed, reflective programming language. Smalltalk was created as the language to underpin the "new world" of computing exemplified by "human–computer symbiosis." It was designed and created in part for educational use, more so for constructionist...
language. In 1995, the compiler was able to compile itself
Self-hosting
The term self-hosting was coined to refer to the use of a computer program as part of the toolchain or operating system that produces new versions of that same program—for example, a compiler that can compile its own source code. Self-hosting software is commonplace on personal computers and larger...
for the first time. In 1998, on the occasion of a visit to LORIA by Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman
Richard Matthew Stallman , often shortened to rms,"'Richard Stallman' is just my mundane name; you can call me 'rms'"|last= Stallman|first= Richard|date= N.D.|work=Richard Stallman's homepage...
, the project became part of the GNU Project
GNU Project
The GNU Project is a free software, mass collaboration project, announced on September 27, 1983, by Richard Stallman at MIT. It initiated GNU operating system development in January, 1984...
. In December 2002, the project was renamed SmartEiffel and reached version 1.0. In September 2004, SmartEiffel reached version 2.0.
In May 2005, after divergences with the working group for the normalization of the Eiffel language, the SmartEiffel project announced that they would not implement the ECMA TC39-TG4 norm.
External links
- "The Grand SmartEiffel Book" - official wiki