AIVI

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AIVI Language Specification (v0.1) ​

Note: AIVI v0.1 is primarily an interpreted language (CST -> Kernel -> interpreter runtime). Experimental native Rust codegen exists, but coverage is smaller than the interpreter today. See Missing Features for current implementation status.

0. Overview ​

AIVI is a statically typed, purely functional language designed for high-integrity data pipelines and domain-driven design.

Core characteristics ​

Logic

  • Global type inference
  • Classes (ad-hoc polymorphism)
  • Higher-Kinded Types (HKTs)

Data

  • Immutable by default
  • Open structural records (row polymorphism)
  • Algebraic Data Types (ADTs)

Control

  • Pattern matching
  • Predicate-driven transformations
  • Pure generators
  • Fiber-based structured concurrency
  • Explicit effect tracking with Effect E A
  • Declarative Resource Management

Intentional omissions

  • No loops (use recursion, folds, generators)
  • No exceptions (use Result)
  • No null / undefined (use Option)
  • No string concatenation (use interpolation)

Naming ​

  • Uppercase identifiers → types and constructors
  • lowercase identifiers → values and functions

Normative Principles ​

Bindings are immutable.Patterns are total by default; use ? for partial matches.Predicates are expressions with implicit scope (.prop).Patches describe structure, not mutation (<|).Domains own semantics and interpreted operators.Generators model data streams; effects model typed I/O (Effect E A).

Why AIVI? ​

AIVI is designed to solve the complexity of modern data-heavy applications by shifting the focus from how data is moved to what data means.

High Integrity by Design ​

By eliminating null, exceptions, and mutable state, AIVI ensures that if a program compiles, it is fundamentally sound. Its exhaustive pattern matching and totality requirements for bindings make "unhandled state" a impossibility at the type level.

Universal Portability (WASM & WASI) ​

AIVI is built from the ground up to target WebAssembly (WASM).

  • Browser: High-performance client-side logic and Aivi LiveView-like frontends.
  • Server/Edge: Using WASI (WebAssembly System Interface), AIVI runs in highly isolated, secure sandboxes across cloud and edge infrastructure with near-native speed and instant startup.
  • Security: The WASM capability-based security model naturally complements AIVI's explicit effect tracking.

The Power of Domains ​

In AIVI, the language doesn't try to know everything. Instead, it provides Domains—a mechanism to extend the language's semantics.

  • Semantic Arithmetic: Operators like + and - are not restricted to numbers; they are interpreted by domains to perform calendar shifts, color blending, or vector math.
  • Syntactic Sugar: Surface-level syntax can desugar into a small kernel, keeping the core language minimal.
  • Extensibility: Developers can define their own domains, creating a language that speaks the vocabulary of their specific business area (Finance, IoT, UI) without losing the safety of the AIVI core.

This document defines AIVI v0.1 as a language where data shape, transformation, and meaning are explicit, uniform, and statically enforced.