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AffineScript Alpha-1 Release Notes

⚠️ AUTHORITATIVE STATUS: Historical release notes. Current readiness is docs/CAPABILITY-MATRIX.adoc (overrides this file). AffineScript remains alpha with a known soundness gap (CORE-01 / issue #177).

🎮 Game Developer's Edition

Release Date: March 31, 2026
Version: 0.1.0-alpha.1
Codename: "Bug-Free by Design"

🚀 What's New in Alpha-1

Core Language Features

  • ✅ Affine Types: Compiler-proven resource management (no leaks!)
  • ✅ Effect System: Explicit I/O and side effects tracking
  • ✅ Row Polymorphism: Flexible data structures without boilerplate
  • ✅ Algebraic Effects: Composable computation effects
  • ✅ WebAssembly Backend: Compile to WASM for browser games
  • ✅ VSCode Integration: Full syntax highlighting and LSP support

Game Development Superpowers

  • ✅ Type-Safe Game State: Compiler enforces valid state transitions
  • ✅ Resource Leak Prevention: Textures, sounds, connections auto-managed
  • ✅ Protocol Correctness: Network code that can't have protocol bugs
  • ✅ Zero-Cost Abstractions: Type safety erased at compile time

Ecosystem Integration

  • ✅ Gossamer: Resource-safe desktop apps (PMPL-1.0-or-later)
  • ✅ Burble: Low-latency voice comms (PMPL-1.0-or-later)
  • ✅ Tree-sitter Grammar: Advanced syntax highlighting
  • ✅ Language Server: IDE integration

🎯 Perfect For

Indie Game Developers who want:

  • Fewer bugs in their game logic
  • Compiler-enforced resource management
  • Type-safe game state machines
  • WebAssembly deployment

Game Jam Participants who need:

  • Rapid prototyping with type safety
  • No runtime crashes from invalid state
  • Easy WASM deployment

Educational Use for teaching:

  • Affine types and linear logic
  • Type-driven game development
  • Functional programming concepts

📦 What's Included

Core Technology (PMPL-1.0-or-later)

  • AffineScript compiler (OCaml backend)
  • WebAssembly code generator
  • Tree-sitter grammar
  • VSCode extension
  • Language Server Protocol implementation
  • Standard library modules

Game Examples (AGPL-3.0-or-later)

  • Hello World with effects
  • Resource management patterns
  • Game state machine examples
  • Type-safe entity systems
  • Network protocol examples

Documentation

  • Complete language specification
  • Game development tutorials
  • Compiler architecture guide
  • Type system reference

🔧 Installation

Prerequisites

  • OCaml 5.1+
  • Dune 3.14+
  • opam packages: sedlex, menhir, ppx_deriving

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/hyperpolymath/affinescript
git checkout v0.1.0-alpha.1
cd affinescript
dune build

Try the Examples

# Type check a game example
dune exec affinescript -- check examples/hello.affine

# Run with interpreter
dune exec affinescript -- eval examples/hello.affine

# Compile to WebAssembly
dune exec affinescript -- compile examples/hello.affine -o hello.wasm

📝 Licensing

Core Technology

PMPL-1.0-or-later - Palimpsest Mutual Public License

  • Covers: Compiler, tooling, standard library
  • Permissive with ethical use requirements
  • Quantum-safe provenance tracking

Game Content & Examples

AGPL-3.0-or-later - GNU Affero General Public License

  • Covers: Game examples, assets, tutorials
  • Ensures game content remains open
  • Network use provisions for online games

⚠️ Known Limitations

Not Yet Implemented

  • Effect Handlers: Declarations parsed, runtime not implemented
  • Trait System: 70% complete (basic traits work)
  • WASM Backend: Basic types only (records coming soon)
  • Non-lexical Lifetimes: Planned for beta

Performance Notes

  • Compiler: Fast enough for development
  • WASM output: Not yet optimized
  • Runtime: Minimal overhead from type erasure

🎮 Game Development Highlights

Why This Changes Everything

Before AffineScript:

// Rust - manual resource management
let texture = load_texture("player.png");
// ... hundreds of lines later ...
unload_texture(texture); // Easy to forget!

After AffineScript:

// AffineScript - compiler-enforced resource management
fn game_loop() -> () / IO {
  let texture = load_texture("player.png"); // own GameTexture
  render(ref texture);
  unload(texture); // MUST happen - compiler proves it!
  // texture is GONE here - using it would be a compile error
}

Real-World Impact

  • ✅ No more memory leaks in game resources
  • ✅ No more invalid state bugs in game logic
  • ✅ No more protocol errors in network code
  • ✅ No more hidden I/O in pure game functions
  • ✅ Flexible data without boilerplate

🚀 Roadmap to 1.0

Alpha Phase (Current)

  • Core language working
  • Basic WASM backend
  • Game examples included
  • Documentation complete

Beta Phase (Q2 2026)

  • Complete trait system
  • Effect handlers runtime
  • Advanced WASM features
  • Performance optimization

Release Candidate (Q3 2026)

  • Full standard library
  • Game engine integration
  • Production-ready compiler
  • Complete toolchain

1.0 Release (Q4 2026)

  • Full feature set
  • Production-ready
  • Ecosystem packages
  • Game jam templates

🤝 Community & Support

GitHub: https://github.com/hyperpolymath/affinescript Issues: https://github.com/hyperpolymath/affinescript/issues Discussions: https://github.com/hyperpolymath/affinescript/discussions

Related Projects:

🎁 Try It Today

# Clone the alpha release
git clone --branch v0.1.0-alpha.1 https://github.com/hyperpolymath/affinescript

# Build and run
dune build
dune exec affinescript -- eval examples/hello.affine

# Start building your bug-free game!

AffineScript: Where your compiler becomes your QA team.

SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0 SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Jonathan D.A. Jewell and contributors