Re: Using incremental parsing in Emacs

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Cc: address@hidden, address@hidden
> From: Dmitry Gutov <address@hidden>
> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2020 15:24:37 +0300
> 
> On 11.01.2020 9:53, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> 
> > Yes, users who want to compile their own parsers, or recompile
> > existing ones, will have to have a C compiler installed.  Which is a
> > downside, but not a serious one in this case, IMO, because most users
> > will use existing parser tables.  I'd expect most if not all of such
> > tables to come together with the Emacs-adapted Tree-Sitter package, or
> > be available on ELPA, or even (gasp!) in core.
> 
> ELPA won't solve the necessity to have this code compiled for different 
> platforms.

It will if distros include them.

> If we go this route, then Tree-Sitter and some core grammars will have 
> to be in the core for sure, I'm just worried about the ease of improving 
> or developing new ones.
> 
> Our users, compared to other editors, are probably the most spoiled (in 
> a good way) in regards to development iteration speed.
> 
> So, as outlined previously, we might even prefer 10x slower parsing 
> speed if it comes with faster development cycle.

These are all valid concerns, but I'd defer dealing with them once we
have the infrastructure for using incremental parsers.  Right now,
doing so is just a pipe dream, and I think we need to make it more
practical.