Snek: A Python-Inspired Language for Tiny Embedded Computers

SeaGL 2019 Nov 16 at 15:45

Tiny embedded computers, like the original Arduino, are great for automating simple tasks. What they are not great at is providing an easy-to-learn environment for new programmers.

As a part of a middle school robotics course based on Lego, I’ve developed a new language, Snek, which runs on these machines. Snek can run in as little as 32kB of ROM and 2kB of RAM. It provides a simpler, safer, easier to explore environment than C++. Snek is a subset of the Python language and comes with a host-based IDE written in Python that runs on Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.

This presentation will describe the Snek language along with a few of the interesting implementation details including:

• A new parser generator, lola, that generates a parser 1/10 the size of bison

• An in-place compacting garbage collector

• A fine hack for representing values in 32 bits that includes 32-bit floats

• Some challenges with Python syntax and semantics which make it difficult to fit into a small environment.

There will also be a demonstration of a few Snek-based Lego robots along with a description of how Snek has been integrated into the classroom environment. Comparisons with other embedded Python implementations will also be provided, including Micro Python, Circuit Python and full Python running on systems like the Raspberry PI.

Attendees will learn something about how interpreted Python implementations operate, how Python can be used in embedded systems and what teaching programming to middle school students (10-14 years old) is like.

Presenters