On: I wrote a self-hosting C compiler in 40 days (2015...

[sly010]

> At first the compiler was about 20 lines long, and the only thing that was able to do is to read an integer from the standard input and then emit a program that immediately exits with the integer as exit code.

I always find it hard to find the absolute minimum functionality i can implement so I usually just attack the problem hard, fail, and keep repeating until I have enough broken functionality, then I start adding tests and refactoring.

Can I ask what is your day job? :)

[JustSomeNobody → sly010]

I've heard it called a walking skeleton. This is what I try to do early because I think it aides greatly in data structure design.

[rjeli → JustSomeNobody]

I've heard it as a "skewer", because you're penetrating every necessary layer.

[rjeli → rjeli]

Just kidding, it's actually a Spike: http://wiki.c2.com/?SpikeSolution

[marssaxman → rjeli]

I've always used the phrase "driving a wire all the way through", but I like "spike" better, especially if other people will know what it means.

[niix → sly010]

His blog says that he is an engineer at Google.

[tmccrmck → niix]

He's also the creator of LLD.