The Kira Programming Language
A language-manual-first guide to Kira 0.1.0 as implemented in this repository today.
Welcome to The Kira Programming Language.
This manual documents Kira 0.1.0 as it exists in this repository today. It follows a Swift-style book structure:
- opening pages that explain what Kira is
- a guided walkthrough of the current language
- a formal language reference
- an appendix for workflows such as CLI usage, toolchains, diagnostics, and examples
What This Book Covers
Kira currently includes:
- a frontend pipeline that parses and validates a broader Kira language surface
- a VM backend that executes bytecode
- an LLVM-native backend that emits host executables and shared libraries
- a hybrid runtime that runs bytecode and native code together
- a manifest-driven native library and autobinding system
- a managed toolchain flow for
kirac, templates, and pinned LLVM bundles
Read in Order
How To Read the Status Notes
Kira has an important boundary that appears throughout the manual:
- some features are parsed by the frontend
- some are semantically validated
- a smaller subset is runnable today
When those boundaries differ, the guide and reference call that out directly.
Start Here
| Need | Start here |
|---|---|
| Understand the current language shape | Language Guide |
| Look up syntax and rules quickly | Language Reference |
| See a compact end-to-end sample | A Kira Tour |
| Install and run the toolchain | Getting Started |
| Learn CLI and toolchain flows | Appendix |
Ground Rules
- implemented behavior is described as current fact
- partial behavior is marked as partial
- unsupported topics are omitted instead of padded out with placeholders
- command examples use the checked-in CLI surface