Useful documentation was: Truffle repository conversion

[Stefan Marr]

Hi:

To make a first step towards a useful README for the Truffle project, what do you think of the following?

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# The Truffle Language Implementation Framework


## Introduction

Truffle is a framework for implementing languages as simple interpreters.
Together with the [Graal compiler](http://github.com/OracleLabs/GraalVM),
Truffle interpreters are automatically just-in-time compiled and programs
running on top of them can reach performance of normal Java.

The Truffle framework provides the basic foundation for building
abstract-syntax-tree (AST) interpreters that perform
[self-optimizations](http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2384577.2384587) at runtime. The
included TruffleDSL provides a convenient way to express such optimizations.

Truffle is developed and maintained by Oracle Labs and the Institute for System
Software of the Johannes Kepler University Linz.


## Building and Using Truffle

Truffle and Graal use the [MX build tool](https://bitbucket.org/allr/mxtool2),
which is part of this repository. To build Truffle execute:

```bash
./mx.sh build
```

The created `./build` directory contains all necessary jars and source bundles.

  - `truffle-api.jar` contains the framework
  - `truffle-dsl-processor.jar` contains the TruffleDSL annotation processor

### Maven

For Maven based projects, prebuilt binaries can be included into a project by
adding the following dependencies to a `pom.xml`:

```xml
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.oracle</groupId>
  <artifactId>truffle</artifactId>
  <version>0.7</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.oracle</groupId>
  <artifactId>truffle-dsl-processor</artifactId>
  <version>0.7</version>
  <scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>
```

## Resources and Documentation

This repository contains the SimpleLanguage, which comes with JavaDoc
documentation to demonstrate how Truffle is used. A good entry point for
exploring SimpleLanguage is the [SLLanguage class](https://github.com/OracleLabs/Truffle/blob/master/truffle/com.oracle.truffle.sl/src/com/oracle/truffle/sl/SLLanguage.java).

  - [Truffle Tutorials and Presentations](https://wiki.openjdk.java.net/display/Graal/Publications+and+Presentations)
  - [Truffle FAQ and Guidelines](https://wiki.openjdk.java.net/display/Graal/Truffle+FAQ+and+Guidelines)
  - [Graal VM and Truffle/JS](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/oracle-labs/program-languages/overview/index-2301583.html) on the Oracle Technology Network
  - [Papers on Truffle](http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Projects/JVM/Truffle.html)
  - [Papers on Graal](http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Projects/JVM/Graal.html)

## Contributing

TODO


## License

The Truffle framework is licensed under the [GPL 2 with Classpath exception](https://github.com/OracleLabs/Truffle/blob/master/LICENSE).
The SimpleLanguage is licensed under the [Universal Permissive License (UPL)](TODO).

—————————


Best regards
Stefan

> On 30 Jun 2015, at 10:50, Stefan Marr <java at stefan-marr.de> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jaroslav:
> 
>> On 30 Jun 2015, at 09:18, Jaroslav Tulach <jaroslav.tulach at oracle.com> wrote:
>> 
>> On Monday, June 29, 2015 08:32:54 PM Stefan Marr wrote:
>>> I could lend a hand with that.
>> 
>> That would be more than welcomed. A fix to API documentation is at least as 
>> important as fix to the actual code.
> 
> At the moment, I was just thinking about the README.
> 
> See
> http://lafo.ssw.uni-linz.ac.at/hg/truffle/file/4858c5e074e9/README.md
> 
> Might be valid for Graal and for Truffle, but more specifically for the Truffle repo, because that one is the one I am interested in from a language’s research/implementer perspective.
> 
> When I try to think of what I want from a repo README, then the following would be useful:
> 
> - brief intro what it is
> - instructions how to build and use it (only the basics)
> - pointers to further resources such as
>   - a link to the main/official website
>   - documentation, tutorials, or if that’s absent links to projects using it
>   - where to find the community, and a note on how to interact/contribute
> - license information
> 
> When pointing people to Truffle, I am always a little torn what a good entry point is.
> Currently we got the SSW site: http://ssw.jku.at/Research/Projects/JVM/Truffle.html
> as well as the FAQ: https://wiki.openjdk.java.net/display/Graal/Truffle+FAQ+and+Guidelines
> And perhaps the OTN one: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/oracle-labs/program-languages/overview/index-2301583.html
> 
> Currently, none of the URLs answer all the questions above. OTN gets close, but only links to the Graal OpenJDK project, and from there, you won’t find Truffle at the moment, I think.
> 
> A related practical matter, what would be the desired URL you guys would like to see on slides?
> Would be nice if there could be a high-level ‘Hello, Welcome, This is What I am’ kind of page or README I could use for the slides for the Truffle workshop.
> 
> Best regards
> Stefan
> 
> 
> -- 
> Stefan Marr
> Johannes Kepler Universität Linz
> http://stefan-marr.de/research/
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Stefan Marr
Johannes Kepler Universität Linz
http://stefan-marr.de/research/