The Tiny C Compiler (TCC) is a compact and efficient compiler for the C programming language. While it adheres to the ISO C standard, TCC also offers some powerful extensions that can enhance your development experience and boost the performance of your code.

In this blog post, we will explore some of the notable extensions provided by TCC and how you can leverage them in your projects.

1. Typeof

The typeof extension in TCC allows you to determine the type of an expression at compile-time. This feature can be particularly useful when writing generic code or performing complex type manipulations.

Here’s an example of how to use typeof:

#include <stdio.h>

#define print_type(x) printf("Type of %s is %s\n", #x, typeof(x))

int main() {
    int num = 42;
    print_type(num);
    
    float pi = 3.14159;
    print_type(pi);
    
    return 0;
}

Running this code with TCC will produce the following output:

Type of num is int
Type of pi is float

The typeof extension eliminates the need for manual type declarations and allows you to write more flexible and concise code.

2. Labels as Values

TCC extends the traditional C language by enabling labels to become first-class citizens. This means that you can store labels in variables and even jump to them dynamically.

Consider the following example:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    void* jump_target;
    
    jump_target = &&label1;
    goto *jump_target;
    
label1:
    printf("This message is from label1\n");
    
    jump_target = &&label2;
    goto *jump_target;
    
label2:
    printf("This message is from label2\n");
    
    return 0;
}

In this code, we define a void pointer jump_target, which we use to store the addresses of different labels. By using the goto statement with the * before the pointer, we can dynamically jump to those labels.

When you run this code with TCC, you will see the following output:

This message is from label1
This message is from label2

This extension opens up new possibilities for implementing advanced control flow structures and can be handy in certain scenarios.

Unlocking More with TCC Extensions

The Tiny C Compiler offers numerous other extensions that allow you to write more expressive code and optimize performance. While it’s essential to be mindful of portability when utilizing these extensions, they can significantly enhance your development workflow when used appropriately.

Stay innovative and experiment with TCC’s extensions to exploit the full potential of this lightweight yet powerful compiler!

#TinyCCompiler #TCCExtensions