Stack notation: " -- ". Rightmost is top of stack (TOS). For example, in "a b -- c d", b is TOS before, d is TOS after. "R:" means that the Return Stack is modified. "I:" prefix means "IMMEDIATE", that is, that this stack transformation is made at compile time. DOES>: Used inside a colon definition that itself uses CREATE, DOES> transforms that newly created word into a "does cell", that is, a regular cell ( when called, puts the cell's addr on PS), but right after that, it executes words that appear after the DOES>. "does cells" always allocate 4 bytes (2 for the cell, 2 for the DOES> link) and there is no need for ALLOT in colon definition. At compile time, colon definition stops processing words when reaching the DOES>. Example: ": CONSTANT CREATE HERE @ ! DOES> @ ;" Word references (wordref): When we say we have a "word reference", it's a pointer to a words *code link*. For example, the label "PLUS:" in this unit is a word reference. Why not refer to the beginning of the word struct? Because we actually seldom refer to the name and prev link, except during compilation, so defining "word reference" this way makes the code easier to understand. Atom: A word of the type compiledWord contains, in its PF, a list of what we call "atoms". Those atoms are most of the time word references, but they can also be references to NUMBER and LIT. Words between "()" are "support words" that aren't really meant to be used directly, but as part of another word. "*I*" in description indicates an IMMEDIATE word. *** Defining words *** : x ... -- Define a new word ; R:I -- Exit a colon definition , n -- Write n in HERE and advance it. ' x -- a Push addr of word x to a. If not found, aborts ['] x -- *I* Like "'", but spits the addr as a number literal. If not found, aborts. ( -- *I* Comment. Ignore rest of line until ")" is read. ALLOT n -- Move HERE by n bytes C, b -- Write byte b in HERE and advance it. CREATE x -- Create cell named x. Doesn't allocate a PF. [COMPILE] x -- Compile word x and write it to HERE. IMMEDIATE words are *not* executed. COMPILE x -- Meta compiles. Kind of blows the mind. See below. CONSTANT x n -- Creates cell x that when called pushes its value DOES> -- See description at top of file FIND a -- a f Read at a and find it in dict. If found, f=1 and a = wordref. If not found, f=0 and a = string addr. IMMED? a -- f Checks whether wordref at a is immediate. IMMEDIATE -- Flag the latest defined word as immediate. LITN n -- Write number n as a literal. VARIABLE c -- Creates cell x with 2 bytes allocation. Compilation vs meta-compilation. When you compile a word with "[COMPILE] foo", its straightforward: It writes down to HERE wither the address of the word or a number literal. When you *meta* compile, it's a bit more mind blowing. It fetches the address of the word specified by the caller, then writes that number as a literal, followed by a reference to ",". Example: ": foo [COMPILE] bar;" is the equivalent of ": foo bar ;" if bar is not an immediate. However, ": foo COMPILE bar ;" is the equivalent of ": foo ['] bar , ;". Got it? Meta-compile only works with real words, not number literals. *** Flow *** Note about flow words: flow words can only be used in definitions. In the INTERPRET loop, they don't have the desired effect because each word from the input stream is executed immediately. In this context, branching doesn't work. (br) -- Branches by the number specified in the 2 following bytes. Can be negative. (?br) f -- Branch if f is false. [ -- Begin interetative mode. In a definition, words between here and "]" will be executed instead of compiled. ] -- End interpretative mode. ABORT -- Resets PS and RS and returns to interpreter ABORT" x" -- *I* Compiles a ." followed by a ABORT. AGAIN I:a -- *I* Jump backwards to preceeding BEGIN. BEGIN -- I:a *I* Marker for backward branching with AGAIN. ELSE I:a -- *I* Compiles a (fbr) and set branching cell at a. EXECUTE a -- Execute wordref at addr a IF -- I:a *I* Compiles a (fbr?) and pushes its cell's addr INTERPRET -- Get a line from stdin, compile it in tmp memory, then execute the compiled contents. QUIT R:drop -- Return to interpreter prompt immediately RECURSE R:I -- R:I-2 Run the current word again. THEN I:a -- *I* Set branching cell at a. UNTIL f -- *I* Jump backwards to BEGIN if f is *false*. *** Parameter Stack *** DROP a -- DUP a -- a a OVER a b -- a b a ROT a b c -- b c a SWAP a b -- b a 2DROP a a -- 2DUP a b -- a b a b 2OVER a b c d -- a b c d a b 2SWAP a b c d -- c d a b *** Return Stack *** >R n -- R:n Pops PS and push to RS R> R:n -- n Pops RS and push to PS I -- n Copy RS TOS to PS I' -- n Copy RS second item to PS J -- n Copy RS third item to PS *** Memory *** @ a -- n Set n to value at address a ! n a -- Store n in address a ? a -- Print value of addr a +! n a -- Increase value of addr a by n C@ a -- c Set c to byte at address a C! c a -- Store byte c in address a CURRENT -- a Set a to wordref of last added entry. HERE -- a Push HERE's address H@ -- a HERE @ *** Arithmetic / Bits *** + a b -- c a + b -> c - a b -- c a - b -> c -^ a b -- c b - a -> c * a b -- c a * b -> c / a b -- c a / b -> c MOD a b -- c a % b -> c /MOD a b -- r q r:remainder q:quotient AND a b -- c a & b -> c OR a b -- c a | b -> c XOR a b -- c a ^ b -> c *** Logic *** = n1 n2 -- f Push true if n1 == n2 < n1 n2 -- f Push true if n1 < n2 > n1 n2 -- f Push true if n1 > n2 CMP n1 n2 -- n Compare n1 and n2 and set n to -1, 0, or 1. n=0: a1=a2. n=1: a1>a2. n=-1: a1 ffff" C< -- c Read one char from buffered input. EMIT c -- Spit char c to output stream IN> -- a Address of variable containing current pos in input buffer. KEY -- c Get char c from direct input PC! c a -- Spit c to port a PC@ a -- c Fetch c from port a WORD -- a Read one word from buffered input and push its addr There are also ascii const emitters: BS CR LF SPC