Tutorial: Programming with Charms
Mix.install([
{:charms, "~> 0.1.2"}
])
Introduction
Charms is an Elixir compiler that allows you to compile a subset of Elixir to native targets. It provides a Domain-Specific Language (DSL) for defining functions that can be JIT-compiled and executed alongside the BEAM virtual machine. In this tutorial, we will explore how to use Charms to write native code and run it.
Setting Up Your Module
To start using Charms, define a module and include the Charms DSL:
defmodule Charming do
use Charms
end
This sets up your module to leverage Charms and imports commonly used modules.
Defining Functions with defm
Instead of using the standard Elixir def
, utilize defm
to define functions that can be JIT-compiled:
defmodule HaveFun do
use Charms
alias Charms.Term
defm my_fun(env, arg1 :: Term.t(), arg2 :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
func.return(arg2)
end
end
HaveFun.my_fun(1, :hello)
Note the type annotations here. The first argument, env
, represents the BEAM environment type (env :: Charms.Env.t()
), and the types Term.t()
specify Erlang terms in C.
Calling Other Functions
To call other functions defined with defm
, use the call
macro:
defmodule CallingAnother do
use Charms
alias Charms.Term
defm callee_function(arg :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
func.return(arg)
end
defm caller_function(env, arg :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
fun = call callee_function(arg) :: Term.t()
fun = callee_function(arg)
fun = call HaveFun.my_fun(env, fun, fun) :: Term.t()
HaveFun.my_fun(env, fun, fun)
end
end
CallingAnother.caller_function("hello")
The call
macro is essential when you want to declare the return type of an expression.
Using Pointers and Memory Operations
Charms provides low-level memory operations through the Pointer
module:
defmodule Dangerous do
use Charms
alias Charms.{Term, Pointer}
defm use_a_pointer(env, value :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
ptr = Pointer.allocate(Term.t())
Pointer.store(value, ptr)
Pointer.load(Term.t(), ptr)
end
end
Dangerous.use_a_pointer(1)
Yes, Charms can crash BEAM. We hope that as the project evolves, its safety features will improve.
Native Types and ENIF Functions
Charms provides several native types. Here are some of the key types:
-
Term.t()
: Represents an Erlang term -
Pointer.t()
: Represents a pointer -
Env.t()
: Represents the BEAM environment -
i32()
,i64()
: Represent integer types
You can make use of Erlang’s ENIF functions to work with these types. Let’s define a native function that specifies types for both arguments and the return value:
defmodule PlayWithErlangRuntime do
use Charms
alias Charms.{Env, Term, Pointer}
defm do_add(a :: i32(), b :: i32()) :: i32() do
a + b
end
defm add(env :: Env.t(), i) :: Term.t() do
i_ptr = Pointer.allocate(i32())
enif_get_int(env, i, i_ptr)
i = Pointer.load(i32(), i_ptr)
sum = do_add(i, i)
enif_make_int(env, sum)
end
end
PlayWithErlangRuntime.add(1)
Note add/1
is the only function exported to Elixir in this module and do_add/2
can only be called within a defm
.
Control Flow
Charms supports conditional statements and loops, which are vital for implementing logic in your native code.
If-Else Control
For conditional logic, you can use if
expressions. Below is an example that compares two values and returns the lesser one:
defmodule ControlFlowIf do
use Charms
alias Charms.Term
defm if_example(env, a, b) :: Term.t() do
if enif_compare(a, b) < 0 do
a
else
b
end
end
end
ControlFlowIf.if_example(1, 2)
In this function, we utilize enif_compare/2
to determine which value is smaller, permitting a straightforward control flow. Notably, in Charms, both branches of the if
must return values of the same type.
While Loops
You can implement loops using while
constructs. Here’s an example that iterates over a list to find the minimum value:
defmodule ControlFlowWhile do
use Charms
alias Charms.{Term, Pointer}
defm loop_example(env, list :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
movable_list_ptr = Pointer.allocate(Term.t())
Pointer.store(list, movable_list_ptr)
head_ptr = Pointer.allocate(Term.t())
min_ptr = Pointer.allocate(Term.t())
enif_get_list_cell(
env,
Pointer.load(Term.t(), movable_list_ptr),
min_ptr,
movable_list_ptr
)
while(
enif_get_list_cell(
env,
Pointer.load(Term.t(), movable_list_ptr),
head_ptr,
movable_list_ptr
) > 0
) do
min = Pointer.load(Term.t(), min_ptr)
head = Pointer.load(Term.t(), head_ptr)
min = ControlFlowIf.if_example(env, min, head)
Pointer.store(min, min_ptr)
end
Pointer.load(Term.t(), min_ptr)
end
end
[:a, :b, 1, 2, 3] |> Enum.shuffle() |> ControlFlowWhile.loop_example()
In the loop_example/2
function, we manage dynamic memory allocation for list traversal using pointers. The while
checks if there are still elements to be processed in the list and updates the minimum value accordingly.
Effectively employing control flow allows you to implement complex algorithms and logic directly in your Charms functions.
Working with Constants
In addition to retrieving value types from Erlang terms, you can use the const
macro to define constants with Elixir literals:
defmodule Constantly do
use Charms
alias Charms.Term
defm how_much(env) :: Term.t() do
zero = const 0 :: i32()
enif_make_int(env, zero + 100)
end
end
Constantly.how_much()
Error Handling
You can raise exceptions by creating an Erlang exception term using enif_raise_exception
, as demonstrated below. Unlike Elixir’s raise
, which introduces special control flow, enif_raise_exception
does not alter the control flow in the same way when raising exceptions.
defmodule Exceptional do
use Charms
alias Charms.{Term, Pointer}
@err_t %ArgumentError{message: "not an int"}
@err_v %ArgumentError{message: "num too small"}
defm raise_it(env, i :: Term.t()) :: Term.t() do
i_ptr = Pointer.allocate(i32())
if enif_get_int(env, i, i_ptr) != 0 do
if Pointer.load(i32(), i_ptr) > 0 do
i
else
enif_raise_exception(env, @err_v)
end
else
enif_raise_exception(env, @err_t)
end
end
end
try do
Exceptional.raise_it(:a)
rescue
e -> IO.inspect(e)
end
try do
Exceptional.raise_it(0)
rescue
e -> IO.inspect(e)
end
Exceptional.raise_it(1)
In this example, we employ a technique using @err_t
and @err_v
. In Charms, Elixir’s module attributes are serialized and compiled as native values transparently.
Conclusion
This tutorial provides an overview of the basics of programming with the Charms DSL, which lets you write native code that can be JIT-compiled while still utilizing a familiar Elixir-like syntax. For more advanced features and additional fun, be sure to consult the Charms documentation.