Frequently Asked Questions

The compiler source will be released when Dorpn reaches v1.0 or becomes self-hosted. Currently, only compiled binaries are provided.

Easiest way (v0.4.1+): run dorpn --upgrade. It fetches the latest release straight from the GitHub repository and replaces your existing install automatically. You can still download the release binary manually and replace your dorpn executable if you prefer.

Not currently. The compiler is closed-source until v1.0 to ensure stability and proper documentation.

dorpn hello.dpn creates an executable. Use dorpn hello.dpn --run to compile and run immediately.

Not directly in v0.4.1. Workaround: dorpn input.dpn && mv input custom_name

Just omit the --run flag: dorpn program.dpn creates the executable only.

Yes! Use dorpn program.dpn --keep-c to preserve the intermediate C file.

Not yet. Use this one-liner: echo 'print("test")' > temp.dpn && dorpn temp.dpn -r && rm temp.dpn or VS Code with the Dorpn extension.

Install GCC. Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install gcc. macOS: xcode-select --install

Check that: (1) the file extension is .dpn, (2) you're in the right directory, and (3) there are no typos in the filename.

Make it executable: chmod +x program_name

Use verbose mode to pinpoint the issue: dorpn file.dpn --verbose. Since v0.4.1, common causes are a missing : at the end of a block header (if, elif, else, func, loop, keep) or inconsistent indentation — only 2 or 4 spaces per level are accepted. See the Changelog for details.

You're trying to modify a Const variable. Use tag for mutable variables instead.

Dorpn has strict static typing. Once tag x = 10 (Int) is declared, you can't do x = "text" later.

tag creates mutable variables; Const creates immutable constants (cannot be reassigned).

Conversion is automatic in some cases (Int→Float in math, any type → String with +). Manual conversion functions are planned for future releases.

Basic list literals ([1,2,3]) and indexing are supported in v0.4.1.

Yes — the same .dpn source file works with both backends. Compile without flags for a native binary, or add -js (or --Javs) for JavaScript output. Some features may only be available in the native C target for now. See the Quickstart's JavaScript Target section.

Not in v0.4.1. C FFI (Foreign Function Interface) is planned for future releases.

Currently single-file only. A module/import system is planned for future versions.

(1) Avoid string concatenation in loops. (2) Use Int instead of Float when possible. (3) Use --keep-c to examine the generated C code.

(1) Add print() statements. (2) Use type() to check variable types. (3) Examine the generated C code with --keep-c. (4) Use --verbose for compilation insights.

Limited by available system memory. For large files, streaming or chunked reading is being considered for future versions.