Cobra

Cobra is a C-style, object-oriented programming language built for creative coding and real-time graphics. Developed as a C# interpreter using ANTLR4 and the visitor pattern, Cobra aims to unify logic, visualization, and interactivity in one language.

Technical Highlights

  • Parser: Implemented using ANTLR4, generating lexer, parser, and visitor classes from the Cobra grammar (Cobra.g4).

  • Architecture:

    • Follows the Visitor pattern for AST traversal and evaluation.
    • Modularized into Frontend, Interpreter, and Environment layers for clear separation of parsing, execution, and runtime context.

  • Interpreter Core: Dynamically evaluates parsed AST nodes, manages symbol tables, scopes, and runtime type information.

  • Runtime Environment:

    • Object-oriented runtime with user-defined classes, enums, and functions.
    • Exception handling, stack traces, and native interop (external, link).

  • Extensibility: Designed for easy addition of new modules, built-in functions, and future Cobra Canvas (2D/3D graphics engine).

  • Goal: Build a self-contained ecosystem for creative coding, similar in philosophy to Processing or p5.js, but with strong typing and class-based OOP.

Vision

Cobra’s long-term vision is to become a graphics-focused language for developers, artists, and educators — a platform where logic, design, and rendering converge.

Core goals:

  • Integrate a native 2D/3D rendering engine
  • Remove external graphics dependencies
  • Support live visual coding
  • Deliver strongly typed scripting for creative work

Language Overview

Cobra combines familiar syntax with modern features.

import "exception";

enum State { Idle, Running, Paused = 10, Finished }

i8 health = 100;
f32 speed = 1.5;

void log(string msg) {
    print(__FILE__ + ":" + __LINE__ + " [" + __FUNC__ + "]: " + msg);
}

try {
    throw new System.Exception("Example error");
} catch (System.Exception e) {
    print("Caught: " + e.getMessage());
}

Feature Matrix

Category Description Status
Core Syntax Variables, constants, expressions ✅ Complete
Types Rich numeric and string system ✅ Complete
Control Flow if, switch, loops ✅ Complete
OOP Classes, constructors, access modifiers, static members ✅ Complete
Enums Named constants with values ✅ Complete
Data Structures Arrays, dictionaries ✅ Complete
Modules Namespaces, imports ✅ Complete
Native Interop link, external for FFI ✅ Complete
Error Handling try-catch-finally, stack traces ✅ Complete
Metaprogramming __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNC__ ✅ Complete
Standard Library Math, string, utility 🚧 In Progress
Graphics Engine “Cobra Canvas” visual system 🚧 Planned

Build and Run

Requirements:

Steps:

git clone https://github.com/SujalChoudhari/Cobra.git
cd Cobra
dotnet build
dotnet run -- <file.cb>

Roadmap

  • [ ] Expand Math and Utility libraries
  • [ ] Add file I/O and runtime modules
  • [ ] Implement Cobra Canvas for 2D/3D rendering
  • [ ] Add time, animation, and concurrency modules
  • [ ] Introduce bytecode or JIT compilation backend

Contributing

Pull requests are welcome. Good first contributions include:

  • Adding standard library modules
  • Enhancing the parser or visitor logic
  • Extending runtime error diagnostics
  • Prototyping the graphics subsystem

Acknowledgment

Initial code generation assisted by Gemini, with architecture, structure, and logic authored and verified manually. Cobra continues as an independent, open-source exploration in language design and creative computing.

Edit this page