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---
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title: A new release of Mist in may 2026 (0.0.3-alpha4), what's new
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author: Klesti Selimaj
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date: 2026-05-19
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---
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## Performance
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On my machines, the `mist-test` usually gets transpiled at ~13ms, which is good, but i'm unsatisfied, so i made it "transpile" at ~500µs, sometimes even 275µs, this of course is very dependent of the schedule and overhead.
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This was achieved by caching the file's timestamps, and this also saves the Rust compiler a lot of work since it has the same caching system.
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## Errors & Mapping
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You will notice that the output of the mist code contains something like this:
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```rust
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/* 9:5 */
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let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
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/* 11:5 */
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if args.len() < 2
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{
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/* 12:9 */
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print_usage();
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/* 13:9 */
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process::exit(1);
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}
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```
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Those are mappings, the line of the rust file will translate to the line on the comment, example:
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```bash
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src/main.mist:12:9
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Error: cannot find function `print_usage` in this scope
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process::exit(1);
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```
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This is what the input is:
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```mist
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Vec<String> args = env::args().collect();
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if (args.len() < 2) {
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print_usage();
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process::exit(1);
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}
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```
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The error itself is taken via `--message-format=json` on `cargo` with the `cargo_metadata` crate.
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## Syntax changes
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### Match
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Match patterns now allow `|`:
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```mist
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match (args[1].as_str()) {
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"run" | "build" | "check" | "r" | "b" | "c" => {
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var (config, root) = transpiler::build();
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}
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_ => {}
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}
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```
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## Strings & Macros
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After using macros and strings, i noticed that there was bugs everywhere, i now ensure more stable macros, and strings now allow different escape sequences.
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## Variables and other statements
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Fixed variables declarations like
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```mist
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Vec<String> args;
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```
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And also function calls:
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```mist
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my_func();
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```
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The reason why bugs occur with these statements is due to ambiguity, at first, they are right, for example:
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```mist
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// <type> <pattern>
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my_func (); // () used to be a pattern.
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```
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This fix is not perfect, you may encounter the same issues when passing arguments that are also within the pattern range (meaning not full expressions).
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+18
-6
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Mist is currently distributed as a Cargo crate. To get started, you'll need to h
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Run the following command to install the Mist compiler:
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```bash title="Terminal"
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cargo install [email protected].2-alpha0
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cargo install [email protected].3-alpha4
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```
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Once the installation finishes, verify it by checking the version:
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@@ -52,11 +52,24 @@ Since Mist compiles down to Rust, you need to point Cargo to the generated outpu
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```toml title="Cargo.toml"
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[[bin]]
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name = "main"
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name = "my-mist-app"
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path = "build/main.rs"
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```
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> **Pro Tip:** You’ll probably want to add `/build` to your `.gitignore` file to keep your repository clean!
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You can also add `/build` to your `.gitignore`.
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> **Pro Tip:** create a `src/_header.rs` file with only main declared, and add this to your `Cargo.toml` (without replacing the current `[[bin]]`):
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> ```toml title="Cargo.toml"
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> # add this in [package]
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> default-run="my-mist-app-header"
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>
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> # Do not replace the current [[bin]]
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> [[bin]]
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> name = "my-mist-app-header"
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> path = "src/_header.rs"
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>```
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>
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> And add all of the `mod`(s) from `src/main.rs`, as well as a empty `main` function, this will allow `.rs` files to be used with IDE support.
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---
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@@ -78,9 +91,7 @@ To turn your Mist code into an executable, use the `run` command:
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mist run
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```
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> **Pro Tip:** If you encounter any rust errors, head to the build directory and analyze the output, if you see anything unusual in the output, report the issue at https://github.com/mist-go/mist
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Or if you only want to transpile to rust
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Or if you only want to transpile to rust (this will not give any semantic errors, only syntax errors).
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```bash title="Terminal"
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mist transpile
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@@ -96,5 +107,6 @@ mist transpile
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| `mist run` | Runs the project in the current directory |
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| `mist build` | builds the project in the current directory |
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| `mist transpile` | transpiles the project in the current directory |
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| `mist check` | checks the project in the current directory |
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| `mist version` | prints the compiler version |
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| `mist help` | prints this message |
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@@ -6,65 +6,4 @@ icon: TriangleAlert
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Mist is currently in a **Volatile Alpha** stage. Our current priority is exploring **Syntax and Features**. We believe in stabilizing the developer experience and the "feel" of the language before locking in the deep architectural logic of the compiler.
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---
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## The "Syntax-First" Philosophy
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Mist is currently in a phase of rapid iteration. We are intentionally keeping the **Semantics** flexible while we finalize the **Syntax**.
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* **The Goal:** Finalize a robust, ergonomic feature set first.
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* **The Reasoning:** Implementing complex semantic analysis while features are still being added is inefficient. By stabilizing the syntax first, we ensure that adding full semantic depth becomes a cohesive, "single-step" process later in development.
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---
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## Current Technical Trade-offs
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To allow for this rapid syntax exploration, the compiler currently uses a "Shim" model for certain complex Rust operations.
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### 1. The Construction Model
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To support Mist's unified **Class and Constructor** model, the compiler uses an experimental memory initialization pattern.
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* **Mechanism:** The compiler generates a "shell" using `MaybeUninit`, allowing `self` to be used inside the constructor logic.
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* **Limitation:** Because full **Definite Assignment Analysis** (semantics) is not yet implemented, the compiler does not verify that every field is assigned. It currently relies on zeroing out memory as a placeholder.
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* **Future Fix:** Once the syntax is frozen, we will implement the semantic checks required to generate standard, safe Rust struct literals.
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### 2. Inheritance
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Inheritance is a major planned feature but is currently **not implemented**.
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* **Status:** The syntax for inheritance is being designed, but it will not be functional until the semantic analyzer is built to handle v-tables and memory layouts in the emitted Rust code.
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---
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## Feature Volatility
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Be aware that because we are focusing on syntax, keywords and structures may change between minor versions. Currently:
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* **Access Modifiers:** `pub` and private defaults are being tested for various contexts (classes vs. structs, or `pub(crate)`).
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* **Pointers vs. References:** The `*` syntax for references (e.g., `self mut*`) is the current standard but is subject to refinement based on ecosystem feedback.
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* **Trait Implementations:** The "In-Class" `impl` block is a core feature we are prioritizing for ergonomics.
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---
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> **Alpha Warning:** Mist is currently a playground for defining a better way to write systems code. Expect breaking changes as we finalize the surface layer of the language.
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>
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>
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You may encounter weird illogical syntax errors, please report them at https://github.com/mist-go/mist/issues with the context.
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|
||||
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ match (task_state) {
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TaskState::Failed { reason, code } => {
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println!("Error {}: {}", code, reason);
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}
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TaskState::NotResponding | TaskState::Progress => {
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draw_loading();
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||||
}
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_ => {
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println!("Other state");
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}
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Reference in New Issue
Block a user