Backends and Layout

Quxlang separates source-language feature support from a backend's physical layout and execution model.

Native LLVM targets

The LLVM backend produces native objects and executables for configured native platforms. Native compilation is the zero-overhead guarantee boundary for Quxlang abstractions.

Native targets provide byte size and alignment for ordinary data types. Types such as ALIGNED_STORAGE, native external procedure signatures, assembly procedures, and native allocation depend on that layout.

Cortado and the JVM

The Cortado backend produces JVM bytecode. It targets language feature parity, but a managed runtime is not required to reproduce native representation or zero-overhead behavior.

Some JVM values are layoutless: their representation is managed by the runtime and does not have a source-visible fixed size or alignment. GC pointers use ~>T.

JVM inheritance support

Inheritance is not implemented by the current Cortado backend. Base construction, hierarchy conversions, virtual dispatch, RTTI casts, and polymorphic destruction are rejected during JVM lowering. This limitation is independent of whether a particular type otherwise has a usable managed representation. See the Inheritance Reference.

Query layout explicitly

STATIC_IF(TYPE_IS_LAYOUTLESS(value_type))
{
  use_managed_representation();
}
STATIC_ELSE
{
  STATIC bytes SZ := SIZEOF(value_type);
  STATIC alignment SZ := ALIGNOF(value_type);
}

TYPE_IS_LAYOUTLESS(T) is the semantic query. ARCH_IS_LAYOUTLESS identifies a wholly layoutless architecture category for broader target selection.

On the current JVM target, fixed-width I8, U8, I16, U16, I32, U32, I64, and U64 retain fixed byte sizes. Other widths and aggregate types may be layoutless. ALIGNOF and reached ALIGNED_STORAGE uses require an actual layout.

RUNTIME NATIVE defines a native-only implementation and an explicit non-native alternative for an operation.