dust-bootstrap

dust-bootstrap is the Rust-based bootstrap compiler for the Dust Programming Language (DPL).

This repository exists to provide a stable, trusted compiler while the primary compiler/runtime stack and dependency ecosystem are rewritten in Dust.

Purpose

dust-bootstrap is used to:

• build and validate Dust-native replacements
• debug regressions during Rust-to-Dust migration
• provide a deterministic baseline for output and diagnostics parity
• continuously compile migrated dustsoftware/* dependencies during licensing-preserving port work

Role In Migration

Use this repository as the migration anchor:

1. Keep dust-bootstrap buildable at all times.
2. Port dependencies and toolchain components to Dust in other repos/workspaces.
3. Compile those ports with dust-bootstrap.
4. Compare behavior/artifacts against dust-bootstrap until parity is reached.

Policy

dust-bootstrap should remain conservative:

• no speculative language feature work
• prioritize correctness, determinism, and debuggability
• accept only fixes that improve bootstrap reliability or unblock migration

Quickstart

From this repository root:

cargo run -p dust -- --help

Build a Dust source program:

cargo run -p dust -- build examples/K/k_hello_world.ds

Check/validate source:

cargo run -p dust -- check examples/K/k_hello_world.ds

Emit object output:

cargo run -p dust -- obj examples/K/k_hello_world.ds -o target/dust/k_hello_world.o

Recommended Bootstrap Workflow

For each migrated component (compiler module or dustsoftware repo):

1. Build with dust-bootstrap.
2. Run component tests/conformance checks.
3. Compare diagnostics and outputs against baseline snapshots.
4. Fix mismatches before advancing migration stage.

Repository Layout

• crates/ - Rust implementation of the bootstrap toolchain
• docs/ - compiler internals and operational references
• spec/ - DPL specification snapshots and related docs
• examples/ - sample Dust programs

Licensing And Provenance

The migration preserves licensing and provenance by maintaining repository-level lineage and explicit source attribution for dependency ports.

See LICENSE and per-repo metadata in the dustsoftware workspace for details.

Status

Bootstrap status is tracked through branch/CI health and migration parity reports in project planning docs.