docs: initial project overview

Signed-off-by: NotAShelf <raf@notashelf.dev>
Change-Id: I598fbe60eaf51f2d3ab094bdf2c91df36a6a6964
This commit is contained in:
raf 2026-02-21 14:32:17 +03:00
commit 79997e09de
Signed by: NotAShelf
GPG key ID: 29D95B64378DB4BF

54
README.md Normal file
View file

@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
# Nixir - Import-Resolving IR Plugin
Nixir, for the lack of a more imaginative name, is a Nix plugin with a fancy
hybrid compilation architecture for optimized evaluation. We provide two
complementary paths for Nix evaluator. It is either **On-the-fly compilation**
where the plugin parses and compiles Nix code at runtime, or; **ahead-of-time**
compilation where the `nix-irc` tool pre-compiles `.nix` files into `.nixir`
files.
The plugin automatically chooses the fastest path based on file availability.
## Supported Nix Constructs
- Literals: integers, strings, booleans, null, paths
- Attrsets: `{ name: value; }`
- Recursive attrsets: `rec { ... }`
- Let bindings: `let x: 1; in x`
- Recursion let: `let rec x: y; y: x; in x`
- Conditionals: `if cond then a else b`
- Lambdas: (basic support, patterns coming in Phase 5)
- Applications: function calls
- Selections: `attrset.attribute`
- Assertions: `assert condition; expr`
- With expressions: `with attrs; expr`
- Operators:
- Binary: `+`, `-`, `*`, `/`, `++`, `==`, `!=`, `<`, `>`, `<=`, `>=`, `&&`,
`||`, `->`
- Unary: `-`, `!`
## Usage
### Compiling Nix to IR
```bash
# Basic compilation
$ nix-irc input.nix output.nixir
# With import search paths
$ nix-irc -I ./lib -I /nix/store/... input.nix output.nixir
# Disable import resolution
$ nix-irc --no-imports input.nix output.nixir
```
## Contributing
This is a research/experimental project. Contributions welcome!
Areas where help is needed:
- Expanding parser to handle more Nix syntax
- Performance optimization
- Test coverage
- Documentation improvements