GCC development plan

[Ed Smith-Rowland]

Piotr Wyderski wrote:
> Tobias Burnus wrote:
>
>   
>> Well, for the new features in the trunk: Have a look at the release
>> notes for the upcoming version 4.5 at
>> http://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-4.5/changes.html
>> For C++ 0x (1x?) have also a look at
>> http://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-4.5/cxx0x_status.html
>>     
>
> Yes, I know those pages pretty well, as I check  the
> C++0x implementation progress every other week.
> But, from the perspective of trunk, they describe what
> has already been done and I'm using that features happily.
>
> Of course I realize that there is no strict plan,
> as it is an Open Source project run by volunteers.
> I would like to know what is in progress or planned
> /speculated to be, but failed to find that information.
> The person who maintains the mentioned sites
> somehow knows what is going on under the hood,
> so I wonder whether that information is available
> to mere mortals, and -- if yes -- then how.
>
>   
>> No - there might be some (tentative) plan for some parts of the compiler
>> and ideas what should implemented first
>>     
>
> That would be more than enough, but where can I find that?
> I read this list rather carefully, however not much information
> of that kind is disclosed here.
>
> Best regards
> Piotr Wyderski
>
>   
I think there are three broad parts to this question: infrastructure, 
core language and library runtimes.  I tend to work on the latter and in 
that case I think all the languages are trying to fill any holes in the 
published standards for those languages.  I know at least C, C++, and 
Fortran have status pages in the manual and in Wikis describing the 
coverage with respect to the various standards and Technical Reports and 
Defect Reports in each language.  Pick a hole and start filling.

As for infrastructure I know much less.  It seems that a lot of thought 
is presented at GCC workshops.  Ideas are presented for new optimization 
passes and so on.  Also, watching the list will reveal annoyances like 
reload and other stuff.  Obviously I don't know these parts ;-) well 
enough to talk.

As a core language evolves in subsequent standards (in particular, right 
now, C++-0x is coming up) new language features must be supported 
possibly in conjunction with the corresponding runtime.  As for timing 
at least C++ and possibly Fortran track the standards as the progress 
and add features as they solidify either in an experimental mode or on a 
separate branch.  Gcc is an important part of the feedback loop into the 
wider standards world about implementation experience for new language 
and library proposals.

So basically, it's this: 1. look at the standards documents, 2. look at 
the current coverage in gcc, 3. Fill holes, 4. Don't add too much new 
stuff.  Rinse.  Repeat.

Ed