Re:Fil-C: A memory-safe C implementation
by cyberax on Tuesday October 28, 2025 @10:24PM
(#45741900)
I'm curious, what's your strategy for integrating the GC with low-level code? I've been thinking about trying to use it for Arduino development. Mostly as a thought experiment for now (as I'm playing with Rust on RP2040).
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Re:Fil-C: A memory-safe C implementation
by pizlonator on Tuesday October 28, 2025 @11:05PM
(#45742165)
If it's userlevel code, then it just works.
It's a concurrent GC.
If I wanted to go to kernel, I'd probably get rid of the GC. I've tweeted about what Fil-C would look like without GC. Short version: use-after-free would not trap anymore, but you wouldn't be able to use it to break out of the capability system. Similar to CHERI without its capability GC.
Re:Fil-C: A memory-safe C implementation
by cyberax on Wednesday October 29, 2025 @12:28AM
(#45742634)
Arduino is kinda both. You have full control over the execution flow, but then you have to actually exercise the full control over the execution flow. The only major wrinkle are the hardware interrupts.
One interesting feature is that there might be some synergy there. The GC safepoints can be used to implement cooperative multitasking, with capabilities making it safe.