I’ve had this idea in my head for a projection-based parser.

Here’s how it works:

• the code is stored as an AST
• the code is displayed to the user in the most concise readable version that is still unambiguous
  • Not let list = @Darklang.Stdlib.Directory.list_v0(dir) |> @Darklang.Stdlib.List.partition_v0 @Darklang.Stdlib.File.isNormal_v0
  • Perhaps let list = Directory.list(dir) |> List.partition File.isNormal
  • Or let list = dir->Directory.list->partition(%, File.isNormal)
  • Or let list = dir->dirList->partition(File.isNormal)
  • Or let list = dir.list.partition(isNormal)
  • See tools for unambiguity below
• When code is parsed, read, executed, etc, it is automatically reformatted in this way
• The parser has clever tools to know what you mean from context
  • eg if you write let list = dir |> list |> partition isNormal
    • it will infer let list = @Darklang.Stdlib.Directory.list_v0(dir) |> @Darklang.Stdlib.List.partition_v0 @Darklang.Stdlib.File.isNormal_v0 (from type clues where possible , no AI)
    • and rerender it as let list = dir->dirList->partition(File.isNormal) (or whatever we decide)
• Aliases are thus tools for this, and they’re added above every function or type in the “file”