lisp: split memory into its own structure

Allows us to abstract allocation away, creating Lisps automatically.

include/alisp/alisp.h

@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #include <alisp/stream.h>
 #include <alisp/sv.h>
 #include <alisp/symtable.h>
-#include <alisp/tag.h>
 #include <alisp/vec.h>
 
 #endif

include/alisp/lisp.h

@@ -23,15 +23,65 @@ typedef struct
   lisp_t *car, *cdr;
 } cons_t;
 
+/// Tagging system
+typedef enum Tag
+{
+  TAG_NIL  = 0b00000000, // Start of atomic types
+  TAG_INT  = 0b00000001, // Special tag so we can encode 63 bit integers
+  TAG_SYM  = 0b00000100,
+  TAG_CONS = 0b00000010, // Start of container types
+  TAG_VEC  = 0b00000110,
+  NUM_TAGS = 5,
+} tag_t;
+
+static_assert(NUM_TAGS == 5, "Expected NUM_TAGS == 5 for enum SHIFT");
+enum Shift
+{
+  SHIFT_INT  = 1,
+  SHIFT_SYM  = 8,
+  SHIFT_CONS = 8,
+  SHIFT_VEC  = 8,
+};
+
+static_assert(NUM_TAGS == 5, "Expected NUM_TAGS == 5 for enum MASK");
+enum Mask
+{
+  MASK_INT  = 0b00000001,
+  MASK_SYM  = 0b11111111,
+  MASK_CONS = 0b11111111,
+  MASK_VEC  = 0b11111111,
+};
+
+// Some helper macros for tagging
+#define TAG(PTR, TYPE)    ((lisp_t *)(((PTR) << SHIFT_##TYPE) | TAG_##TYPE))
+#define IS_TAG(PTR, TYPE) (((u64)(PTR) & MASK_##TYPE) == TAG_##TYPE)
+#define UNTAG(PTR, TYPE)  (((u64)PTR) >> SHIFT_##TYPE)
+
+#define INT_MAX ((((i64)1) << 62) - 1)
+#define INT_MIN (-(((i64)1) << 62))
+
+tag_t get_tag(const lisp_t *);
+lisp_t *tag_int(const i64);
+lisp_t *tag_sym(const char *);
+lisp_t *tag_cons(const cons_t *);
+lisp_t *tag_vec(const vec_t *);
+
 /// System context
 typedef struct
 {
-  vec_t memory;
+  vec_t conses;
+  vec_t vectors;
+  u64 num_conses, num_vectors;
+} sys_mem_t;
+
+typedef struct
+{
+  sys_mem_t memory;
   sym_table_t symtable;
 } sys_t;
 
 void sys_init(sys_t *);
-void sys_register(sys_t *, lisp_t *);
+lisp_t *sys_alloc(sys_t *, tag_t type);
 void sys_free(sys_t *);
 
 // Debugging function: provides total memory usage from system.

include/alisp/tag.h

@@ -1,68 +0,0 @@
-/* tag.h: Pointer tagging
- * Created: 2026-02-04
- * Author: Aryadev Chavali
- * License: See end of file
- * Commentary:
- */
-
-#ifndef TAG_H
-#define TAG_H
-
-#include <alisp/lisp.h>
-
-typedef enum Tag
-{
-  TAG_NIL  = 0b00000000, // Start of atomic types
-  TAG_INT  = 0b00000001, // Special tag so we can encode 63 bit integers
-  TAG_SYM  = 0b00000100,
-  TAG_CONS = 0b00000010, // Start of container types
-  TAG_VEC  = 0b00000110,
-  NUM_TAGS = 5,
-} tag_t;
-
-static_assert(NUM_TAGS == 5, "Expected NUM_TAGS == 5 for enum SHIFT");
-enum Shift
-{
-  SHIFT_INT  = 1,
-  SHIFT_SYM  = 8,
-  SHIFT_CONS = 8,
-  SHIFT_VEC  = 8,
-};
-
-static_assert(NUM_TAGS == 5, "Expected NUM_TAGS == 5 for enum MASK");
-enum Mask
-{
-  MASK_INT  = 0b00000001,
-  MASK_SYM  = 0b11111111,
-  MASK_CONS = 0b11111111,
-  MASK_VEC  = 0b11111111,
-};
-
-// Some helper macros for tagging
-#define TAG(PTR, TYPE)    ((lisp_t *)(((PTR) << SHIFT_##TYPE) | TAG_##TYPE))
-#define IS_TAG(PTR, TYPE) (((u64)(PTR) & MASK_##TYPE) == TAG_##TYPE)
-#define UNTAG(PTR, TYPE)  (((u64)PTR) >> SHIFT_##TYPE)
-
-#define INT_MAX ((((i64)1) << 62) - 1)
-#define INT_MIN (-(((i64)1) << 62))
-
-tag_t get_tag(const lisp_t *);
-lisp_t *tag_int(const i64);
-lisp_t *tag_sym(const char *);
-lisp_t *tag_cons(const cons_t *);
-lisp_t *tag_vec(const vec_t *);
-
-#endif
-
-/* Copyright (C) 2026 Aryadev Chavali
-
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
- * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
- * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License Version 2 for
- * details.
-
- * You may distribute and modify this code under the terms of the GNU General
- * Public License Version 2, which you should have received a copy of along with
- * this program.  If not, please go to <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-
- */

src/lisp.c

@@ -9,41 +9,75 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include <alisp/lisp.h>
-#include <alisp/tag.h>
 
 void sys_init(sys_t *sys)
 {
   memset(sys, 0, sizeof(*sys));
 }
 
-void sys_register(sys_t *sys, lisp_t *ptr)
+lisp_t *sys_alloc(sys_t *sys, tag_t type)
 {
-  // Simply append it to the list of currently active conses
+  switch (type)
-  vec_append(&sys->memory, &ptr, sizeof(&ptr));
+  {
+  case TAG_CONS:
+  {
+    cons_t *cons = calloc(1, sizeof(*cons));
+    lisp_t *lisp = tag_cons(cons);
+    vec_append(&sys->memory.conses, &lisp, sizeof(&lisp));
+    sys->memory.num_conses++;
+    return lisp;
+  }
+  case TAG_VEC:
+  {
+    vec_t *vec   = calloc(1, sizeof(*vec));
+    lisp_t *lisp = tag_vec(vec);
+    vec_append(&sys->memory.vectors, &lisp, sizeof(&lisp));
+    sys->memory.num_vectors++;
+    return lisp;
+  }
+  // Shouldn't be registered
+  case TAG_NIL:
+  case TAG_INT:
+  case TAG_SYM:
+  default:
+    FAIL("Unreachable");
+  }
+  return NIL;
 }
 
 u64 sys_cost(sys_t *sys)
 {
-  return sym_table_cost(&sys->symtable) + sys->memory.capacity;
+  u64 vec_capacity = 0;
+  for (u64 i = 0; i < sys->memory.num_vectors; ++i)
+  {
+    lisp_t *vec = VEC_GET(&sys->memory.vectors, i, lisp_t *);
+    vec_capacity += as_vec(vec)->capacity;
+  }
+  return sym_table_cost(&sys->symtable) +
+         (sys->memory.num_conses * sizeof(cons_t)) + vec_capacity;
 }
 
 void sys_free(sys_t *sys)
 {
-  static_assert(NUM_TAGS == 5);
-
   sym_table_free(&sys->symtable);
-  if (sys->memory.size == 0)
-    return;
 
   // Iterate through each cell of memory currently allocated and free them
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < VEC_SIZE(&sys->memory, lisp_t **); ++i)
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < VEC_SIZE(&sys->memory.conses, lisp_t **); ++i)
   {
-    lisp_t *allocated = VEC_GET(&sys->memory, i, lisp_t *);
+    lisp_t *allocated = VEC_GET(&sys->memory.conses, i, lisp_t *);
     lisp_free(allocated);
   }
 
-  // Free the container
+  // Iterate through each cell of memory currently allocated and free them
-  vec_free(&sys->memory);
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < VEC_SIZE(&sys->memory.vectors, lisp_t **); ++i)
+  {
+    lisp_t *allocated = VEC_GET(&sys->memory.vectors, i, lisp_t *);
+    lisp_free(allocated);
+  }
+
+  // Free the containers
+  vec_free(&sys->memory.conses);
+  vec_free(&sys->memory.vectors);
 
   // Ensure no one treats this as active in any sense
   memset(sys, 0, sizeof(*sys));
@@ -56,22 +90,17 @@ lisp_t *make_int(i64 i)
 
 lisp_t *cons(sys_t *sys, lisp_t *car, lisp_t *cdr)
 {
-  cons_t *cons = calloc(1, sizeof(*cons));
+  lisp_t *cons = sys_alloc(sys, TAG_CONS);
-  cons->car    = car;
+  CAR(cons)    = car;
-  cons->cdr    = cdr;
+  CDR(cons)    = cdr;
-
+  return cons;
-  lisp_t *lcons = tag_cons(cons);
-  sys_register(sys, lcons);
-  return lcons;
 }
 
 lisp_t *make_vec(sys_t *sys, u64 capacity)
 {
-  vec_t *vec = calloc(1, sizeof(*vec));
+  lisp_t *vec = sys_alloc(sys, TAG_VEC);
-  vec_init(vec, capacity);
+  vec_init(as_vec(vec), capacity);
-  lisp_t *ptr = tag_vec(vec);
+  return vec;
-  sys_register(sys, ptr);
-  return ptr;
 }
 
 lisp_t *intern(sys_t *sys, sv_t sv)

src/reader.c

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include <alisp/reader.h>
-#include <alisp/tag.h>
 
 const char *read_err_to_cstr(read_err_t err)
 {

src/tag.c

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-#include <alisp/tag.h>
+#include <alisp/lisp.h>
 
 lisp_t *tag_int(i64 i)
 {

test/test_lisp_api.c

@@ -151,44 +151,42 @@ void sys_test(void)
   TEST_START();
   sys_t sys = {0};
   sys_init(&sys);
-  u64 old_memory_size = sys.memory.size;
+  u64 old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   // Creating integers doesn't affect memory size
   (void)make_int(2000);
-  TEST(sys.memory.size == old_memory_size,
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) == old_memory_size,
        "Making integers doesn't affect system memory size");
 
-  // Creating symbols won't affect memory size, but does affect the symbol table
+  // Creating symbols does affect memory size and memory table
   (void)intern(&sys, SV_AUTO("hello world!"));
-  TEST(sys.memory.size == old_memory_size,
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) > old_memory_size,
        "Interning doesn't affect system memory size");
   TEST(sys.symtable.count > 0, "Interning affects symbol table");
+  old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   // Creating conses do affect memory size
   (void)cons(&sys, make_int(1), make_int(2));
-  TEST(sys.memory.size > 0, "Creating conses affects memory size");
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) > 0, "Creating conses affects memory size");
-  old_memory_size = sys.memory.size;
+  old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   (void)cons(&sys, intern(&sys, SV_AUTO("test")), NIL);
-  TEST(sys.memory.size > old_memory_size,
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) > old_memory_size,
        "Creating conses back to back affects memory size");
-  old_memory_size = sys.memory.size;
+  old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   // Creating vectors does affect memory size
   (void)make_vec(&sys, 8);
-  TEST(sys.memory.size > old_memory_size,
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) > old_memory_size,
        "Creating vectors (size 8) affects memory size");
-  old_memory_size = sys.memory.size;
+  old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   (void)make_vec(&sys, 1000);
-  TEST(sys.memory.size > old_memory_size,
+  TEST(sys_cost(&sys) > old_memory_size,
        "Creating vectors (size 1000) affects memory size");
-  old_memory_size = sys.memory.size;
+  old_memory_size = sys_cost(&sys);
 
   sys_free(&sys);
-  TEST(sys.memory.size == 0, "sys_free cleans up memory (shallow check)");
-  TEST(sys.symtable.count == 0, "sys_free cleans up symtable (shallow check)");
-
   TEST_END();
 }