Pseudocode

A programming language that reads like pseudocode and runs like compiled code.

Website | Reference | Getting Started | Examples

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Overview

Pseudocode is a compiled language with intuitive, readable syntax designed to look like textbook pseudocode. It features a bytecode VM with an x86-64 tracing JIT compiler for performance-critical loops.

Key Features

• Clean Syntax — No semicolons, no braces, just readable code
• JIT Compilation — Tracing JIT generates native x86-64 for hot loops
• 140+ Built-ins — HTTP, JSON, file I/O, crypto, math, and more
• First-class Functions — Closures, lambdas, and higher-order functions
• Pattern Matching — Expressive match/case with guards
• VS Code Extension — Full IDE support with IntelliSense

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• GCC or Clang
• Make
• Git

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/NagusameCS/Pseudocode.git
cd Pseudocode

# Build the VM
cd cvm
make

# Run a program
./pseudo ../examples/hello.pseudo

With JIT (faster for loops)

./pseudo -j ../examples/fibonacci.pseudo

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Syntax Overview

// Variables
let name = "Pseudocode"
let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

// Functions
fn greet(who)
    print("Hello, " + who + "!")
end

// Control flow
if len(numbers) > 0 then
    for n in numbers do
        print(n)
    end
end

// Pattern matching
fn describe(value)
    match value
        case 0 then
            return "zero"
        case n if n < 0 then
            return "negative"
        case _ then
            return "positive"
    end
end

// Higher-order functions
let doubled = map(numbers, fn(x) return x * 2 end)
let sum = reduce(numbers, fn(a, b) return a + b end, 0)

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Examples

Fibonacci

fn fib(n)
    if n <= 1 then
        return n
    end
    return fib(n - 1) + fib(n - 2)
end

print(fib(30))

HTTP API Client

fn fetch_user(username)
    let url = "https://api.github.com/users/" + username
    let response = http_get(url)
    return json_parse(response)
end

let user = fetch_user("octocat")
print(user["name"])

Quicksort

fn quicksort(arr, low, high)
    if low < high then
        let pivot_idx = partition(arr, low, high)
        quicksort(arr, low, pivot_idx - 1)
        quicksort(arr, pivot_idx + 1, high)
    end
end

fn partition(arr, low, high)
    let pivot = arr[high]
    let i = low - 1
    
    for j in low to high - 1 do
        if arr[j] <= pivot then
            i = i + 1
            let temp = arr[i]
            arr[i] = arr[j]
            arr[j] = temp
        end
    end
    
    let temp = arr[i + 1]
    arr[i + 1] = arr[high]
    arr[high] = temp
    
    return i + 1
end

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Performance

Pseudocode includes a tracing JIT compiler that generates native x86-64 machine code for hot loops. When JIT is enabled (-j flag), numeric loops approach C-level performance.

Benchmark: 10M Increment Loop

Implementation	Time
C (gcc -O2)	33ms
Pseudocode (JIT)	32ms
Pseudocode (VM)	530ms
Python 3.11	450ms

The JIT achieves parity with C on simple numeric loops by emitting optimized native code.

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VS Code Extension

Full IDE support is available through the VS Code extension:

• Syntax highlighting
• IntelliSense and autocompletion
• Hover documentation for 80+ built-ins
• Go to Definition / Find References
• Real-time error diagnostics
• One-click execution
• Debugging support
• 50+ code snippets

Install: ext install NagusameCS.pseudocode-lang

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Documentation

• Language Reference — Complete syntax and built-in function documentation
• Examples — Sample programs demonstrating various features
• Benchmarks — Performance test programs

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Project Structure

Pseudocode/
├── cvm/                 # Core VM and compiler
│   ├── main.c          # Entry point
│   ├── lexer.c         # Tokenizer
│   ├── compiler.c      # Bytecode compiler
│   ├── vm.c            # Virtual machine
│   ├── jit.c           # JIT compiler
│   ├── trace_recorder.c # Tracing JIT
│   └── jit_x64.c       # x86-64 codegen
├── docs/               # Website and documentation
├── examples/           # Example programs
├── benchmarks/         # Performance tests
└── vscode-extension/   # VS Code integration

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.

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License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.

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GitHub | Website | Author