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Terse — Session Context

Quick reference for picking up where we left off. Update this file at the end of every session.

Project Identity

Language: Terse
Author: Lesley Ancion
Organization: Goatface Tech
Location: Sundre, Alberta
Repo: github.com/GravyLords/terse-lang (private)
Date Started: April 2026

The Vision

A general-purpose programming language built for AI systems.
Reads like English. Compiles to native via LLVM. Graph semantics, tensor performance.
Designed alongside a future custom NCI chip and dedicated Ethics Core chip.
The language, the compiler, and the silicon — all designed together from day one.

Core Laws

  • Law I — Knowledge is not stored, it is organized. Retrieval is not lookup, it is reconstruction.
  • Law II — Capability is not authorization.
  • Law III — The compiler works harder so you don't have to.

Current Status

Phase: 2 — C Transpiler — COMPLETE ✅
Next Phase: Phase 2.5 — Install GCC, compile output.c to native binary, then Phase 3 LLVM

Phase 1 — Complete ✅

  • ✅ Full interpreter pipeline — lexer, parser, interpreter, errors, main
  • ✅ Knowledge graphs, inference, Markov chains, functions, loops
  • ✅ Variables, math, conditionals, tensors, compression, ethics rules
  • ✅ REPL, error handling, example programs
  • ✅ Docs site at terse.goatfacetech.com

Phase 1.5 — Semantic Compression Algorithm — Complete ✅

  • ✅ src/compression/COMPRESSION.md — algorithm spec
  • ✅ src/compression/semantic.py — four-phase semantic compression
  • ✅ Benchmark: 70.59% storage ratio, integrity verified

Phase 1.6 — Runtime Integrity & Encryption — Complete ✅

  • ✅ src/sealing/SEALING.md — sealing spec
  • ✅ src/sealing/seal.py — signing tool
  • ✅ src/sealing/verify.py — boot verification
  • ✅ sealed keyword — lexer, parser, interpreter
  • ✅ ethics_core signature: 46760ae1b887bb35060c0cb625717c19dafd8329303f8d648bf14cd8b1aec07e

Phase 2 — C Transpiler — Complete ✅

  • ✅ src/transpiler/TRANSPILER.md — transpiler spec
  • ✅ src/transpiler/ir.py — 30 IR op dataclasses, full op set
  • ✅ src/transpiler/ir_compiler.py — AST to IR, flat list output
  • ✅ src/transpiler/c_emitter.py — IR to C, one function per op type
  • ✅ src/transpiler/terse_runtime.h — C runtime, single header
  • ✅ src/transpiler/test_pipeline.py — full end to end test
  • ✅ src/transpiler/output.c — first compiled Terse program

Known Minor Issues

  • with reason: in ethics deny statements produces stray linked: with -> reason -> : output — cosmetic parser quirk, fix in a future session

Next Steps

  • Install GCC on Windows via MSYS2
  • Compile output.c to a native binary — first ever native Terse program
  • Phase 3 — LLVM compiler (IR stays the same, swap C emitter for LLVM emitter)

File Structure

terse-lang/
├── .gitignore
├── README.md
├── ROADMAP.html
├── CONTEXT.md                        <- this file
├── spec/
│   └── terse-spec.html
├── docs/
│   └── Terse_Concept_Disclosure.pdf  <- v1.2
├── docs-site/
│   ├── mkdocs.yml
│   └── docs/
│       ├── index.md
│       ├── syntax.md
│       ├── concepts.md
│       ├── roadmap.md
│       ├── stylesheets/terse.css
│       └── sessions/
│           ├── session1.md through session8.md
├── src/
│   ├── interpreter/
│   │   ├── lexer.py                  <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── parser.py                 <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── interpreter.py            <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── errors.py                 <- COMPLETE
│   │   └── main.py                   <- COMPLETE
│   ├── compression/
│   │   ├── COMPRESSION.md            <- COMPLETE
│   │   └── semantic.py               <- COMPLETE
│   ├── sealing/
│   │   ├── SEALING.md                <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── seal.py                   <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── verify.py                 <- COMPLETE
│   │   ├── test_verify.py
│   │   └── test_sealed_end_to_end.py
│   └── transpiler/
│       ├── TRANSPILER.md             <- COMPLETE
│       ├── ir.py                     <- COMPLETE
│       ├── ir_compiler.py            <- COMPLETE
│       ├── c_emitter.py              <- COMPLETE
│       ├── terse_runtime.h           <- COMPLETE
│       ├── test_pipeline.py
│       └── output.c                  <- first compiled Terse program
└── examples/
    ├── hello.trs
    ├── while_test.trs
    ├── animal_mind.trs
    ├── ethics_core.trs
    └── test_sealed.trs

How to Run a Terse Program

cd C:\Users\ljanc\Projects\terse-lang\src\interpreter

# Run a file
python main.py ../../examples/hello.trs

# Start the REPL
python main.py

How to Compile a Terse Program to C

cd C:\Users\ljanc\Projects\terse-lang\src\transpiler

# Run the full pipeline
python test_pipeline.py

# Output written to output.c
# Compile with GCC (once installed):
# gcc output.c -o hello && ./hello

How to Seal an Ethics Block

cd C:\Users\ljanc\Projects\terse-lang\src\sealing
python seal.py ../../examples/ethics_core.trs

Key Classes and Files

ir.py — IR Op Dataclasses

  • StoreFact, StoreRelation, Infer
  • RegisterRule, RegisterEthics
  • Label, Jump, JumpIfTrue, JumpIfFalse
  • FuncDef, FuncCall, Return
  • StoreVar, LoadVar, MathOp, Compare
  • EachStart, EachEnd, WhileStart, WhileEnd
  • TensorCreate, TensorDot, TensorScale, TensorAdd
  • LearnSeq, PredictSeq, GenerateSeq
  • Compress, Expand
  • SealedBegin, SealedEnd, VerifySeal
  • IRProgram — container, append ops, prints as assembly-like text

ir_compiler.py

  • IRCompiler — walks AST, emits IR ops
  • compile(ast) — entry point, returns IRProgram
  • new_label(prefix) — generates unique labels for jumps

c_emitter.py

  • CEmitter — walks IR ops, emits C lines
  • generate(ir_program) — returns complete C source as string
  • emit_header() — includes, main(), runtime init
  • emit_footer() — runtime free, return 0
  • emit_op(op) — one case per IR op type

terse_runtime.h

  • TerseRuntime — top level state struct
  • TerseNode — knowledge graph node with fact table
  • TerseRule — inference rule
  • TerseEthics — ethics rule
  • TerseVar — named variable
  • TerseEachState — each loop iterator state
  • terse_runtime_init() / terse_runtime_free()
  • terse_store_fact(), terse_check_fact()
  • terse_store_relation()
  • terse_register_rule(), terse_infer()
  • terse_store_var(), terse_load_var()
  • terse_math_op(), terse_compare()
  • terse_each_start(), terse_each_next(), terse_each_end()
  • terse_register_ethics(), terse_check_ethics()
  • terse_verify_seal()
  • terse_return(), terse_func_call()

Terse Syntax — Complete Reference

// Facts
know dog is animal
know dog has fur

// Relationships
dog chases cat

// Inference rules
when has fur then is mammal

// Inference
infer dog

// Sequence learning
learn dog chases cat runs away
predict after chases
generate from dog steps 3

// Functions
to classify thing
  infer thing
  return thing

classify dog

// Loops
each creature in animal
  classify creature

while running is true
  infer model

// Variables and math
x = 5
y = x * 2
z = x + y

// Conditionals
if x > 5
  know size is big
else
  know size is small

// Tensors
weights = tensor 3 3 fill 0.0
inputs = tensor 3 fill 1.0
output = weights dot inputs
scaled = weights * 0.5

// Compression
compress dog -> d
expand d -> dog2

// Ethics rules
ethics rule no_harm
  when intent is harm
  then deny with reason: "Law II violation"

// Sealed blocks
sealed ethics_core
  ethics rule no_csam
    when intent is exploitation
    then deny with reason: "Absolute limit"

Build Roadmap Summary

Phase Description Status
1 Python interpreter ✅ Complete
1.5 Semantic compression algorithm ✅ Complete
1.6 Runtime integrity & encryption ✅ Complete
2 Terse -> C transpiler ✅ Complete
2.5 GCC install, first native binary ⬜ Next
3 LLVM compiler — native speed ⬜ Planned
4 FPGA prototype (Artix-7) ⬜ Future
5 NCI-1 custom chip ⬜ Future
6 NCI Ethics Core chip ⬜ Future

Design Decisions Made

  • IR is Python dataclasses — type safe, editor friendly, repr prints as assembly
  • Compress slow, expand fast — all intelligence in compressor, expander just merges
  • Sealed signatures hardcoded — generated once, frozen in git history
  • Ethics is mathematical not social — sealed blocks, not policies
  • C emitter is a simple op walker — one function per op type, no logic
  • terse_runtime.h is a single header — ships with every compiled program, no install
  • Ethics conditions expand to COMPARE + JUMP at IR level — no runtime dicts in C
  • Phase 3 reuses IR entirely — only the emitter changes
  • Indentation-based — no braces, no semicolons
  • Nodes never decay — explicit deprecation only
  • Compiler absorbs complexity — memory, types, tensor layout per Law III

Next Session Goals

  1. Install GCC via MSYS2 on Windows
  2. Compile output.c to a native binary
  3. Run the first ever native Terse program
  4. Begin Phase 3 planning — LLVM emitter architecture
  5. Fix cosmetic issue: with reason: producing stray relationship output
Project Repo Status
NCI github.com/GravyLords/nci (private) Session 22 complete
Terse github.com/GravyLords/terse-lang (private) Phase 2 complete

Update this file at the end of every session. Commit it with the session changes.