[{"_1":2,"_64":-5,"_65":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_33":34,"_62":-5,"_63":-5},"root",{"_5":-5,"_6":-5,"_7":8,"_20":-5,"_21":22,"_23":24,"_27":28},"user","shoppingCartId","shoppingCart",{"_9":10,"_11":12,"_13":14,"_15":16,"_17":18,"_19":12},"count",0,"free",true,"updatedAt","2025-12-16T05:46:35.594Z","paymentGateway","STRIPE","cartItems",[],"loading","toast","locale","en","constants",{"_25":26},"paypalClientId","AenrHU49peF-ZUH-Yq7AXLLNZYGUGlml474U16NCjB4ZznmQCEjiliN3whyuVZmkb7VxEzmTALgtKEKE","publishers",{"_29":30,"_31":32},"companies",[],"universities",[],"routes/_store+/_readers+/email_author.$slug/route",{"_35":36,"_61":-5},"book",{"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48},"id","Z2lkOi8vbGVhbnB1Yi9TdG9yZTo6Qm9va1Byb2R1Y3QvMTYwODQ","title","Developing with compile time in mind","state","published","contactAuthorMethod","email","aboutText","

To preprocess code, or not? That is the question.

Well in languages such as D and Lisp. That question has another cavet. Why not just mutate it during compilation into runnable code?

Compile time function execution (CTFE) is the action of executing a piece of code during the compilation or processing of some other code. Generally in languages that are only ever ahead of time compiled such as D. It means that code can be generated and executed based upon arguments.

This is especially exciting when reflection capabilities are tied into it. Allowing for all sorts of efficient runtime execution generated code.

\n","authors",[49],{"_37":50,"_51":52,"_5":53},"Z2lkOi8vbGVhbnB1Yi9TdG9yZTo6UHJvZHVjdEF1dGhvci8xNjc0MQ","name","richard cattermole",{"_54":55},"avatar",{"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":12},"url","https://d308did4coypzi.cloudfront.net/avatars/413735/medium/10898223_1023310694351646_7706250967059995212_n.jpg?1425586313","styleName","medium","exists","currentUser","routes/_store+/_layout","routes/_store+/_readers+/_layout","actionData","errors"]

Email the Author