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clang: a C language family frontend for LLVM

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The goal of the Clang project is to create a new C, C++, Objective C and + Objective C++ front-end for the LLVM + compiler. You can get and build the source + today.

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Features and Goals

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Some of the goals for the project include the following:

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End-User Features:

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Fast compiles and low memory use
Expressive diagnostics (examples)
GCC compatibility

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Utility and + Applications:

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Modular library based architecture
Support diverse clients (refactoring, static analysis, code generation, + etc)
Allow tight integration with IDEs
Use the LLVM 'BSD' License

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Internal Design and + Implementation:

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A real-world, production quality compiler
A simple and hackable code base
A single unified parser for C, Objective C, C++, and Objective C++
Conformance with C/C++/ObjC and their variants

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Of course this is only a rough outline of the goals and features of + Clang. To get a true sense of what it is all about, see the Features section, which breaks + each of these down and explains them in more detail.

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Why?

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The development of a new front-end was started out of a need -- a need + for a compiler that allows better diagnostics, better integration with + IDEs, a license that is compatible with commercial products, and a + nimble compiler that is easy to develop and maintain. All of these were + motivations for starting work on a new front-end that could + meet these needs.

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A good (but quite dated) introduction to Clang can be found in the + following video lectures:

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Clang Introduction + (May 2007)
Features and Performance of + Clang (July 2007)

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For a more detailed comparison between Clang and other compilers, please + see the clang comparison page.

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Current Status

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Clang is still under heavy development. Clang is considered to + be a production quality C, Objective-C, C++ and Objective-C++ compiler when + targeting X86-32, X86-64, and ARM (other targets may have caveats, but are + usually easy to fix). If you are looking for source analysis or + source-to-source transformation tools, clang is probably a great + solution for you. Clang supports most of C++11, please see the C++ status page for more + information.

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Get it and get involved!

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Start by getting the code, building it, and + playing with it. This will show you the sorts of things we can do + today and will let you have the "clang experience" first hand: hopefully + it will "resonate" with you. :)

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Once you've done that, please consider getting + involved in the clang community. The clang developers include numerous + volunteer contributors with a variety of backgrounds. If you're + interested in + following the development of clang, signing up for a mailing list is a good + way to learn about how the project works.