The Current Issue with Carbon in Compiler Explorer

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 83 views

Introduction

The Carbon programming language is a new, high-performance language that is designed to be easy to use and efficient. It is built on top of the LLVM compiler infrastructure and is intended to be a general-purpose language that can be used for a wide range of applications. However, when running Carbon in Compiler Explorer, users may encounter issues with stack traces that are not immediately useful. In this article, we will discuss the importance of including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH when running Carbon in Compiler Explorer and how it can be done.

The Importance of `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH`

LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH is an environment variable that is used to specify the path to the LLVM symbolizer tool. The symbolizer tool is used to generate a stack trace with symbols, which can be much more useful than a stack trace without symbols. When a program crashes, the stack trace is generated by the operating system and can be very long and difficult to read. By including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in the environment, users can specify the path to the symbolizer tool and generate a stack trace with symbols.

The Current Issue with Carbon in Compiler Explorer

Currently, if a user crashes Carbon in Compiler Explorer, they will get a stack trace without symbols. This can make it very difficult to diagnose the issue and can lead to a lot of frustration. The issue is that the stack trace is not immediately useful, and users may need to set up a toolchain to get a stack trace with symbols. This can be a significant barrier to entry for users who are new to Carbon and may not know how to set up a toolchain.

Including `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` in Compiler Explorer

To include LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer, users can follow these steps:

Set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable: Users can set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable to the path of the LLVM symbolizer tool. This can be done by running the following command in the terminal:

export LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH=/path/to/llvm-symbolizer

Run Carbon in Compiler Explorer: Once the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable is set, users can run Carbon in Compiler Explorer. The stack trace will now include symbols, making it much easier to diagnose issues.

Benefits of Including `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH`

Including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer has several benefits, including:

Improved debugging experience: With a stack trace that includes symbols, users can much more easily diagnose issues and fix bugs.
Reduced frustration: Users will no longer need to set up a toolchain to get a stack trace with symbols, making it much easier to use Carbon in Compiler Explorer.
Increased productivity: By including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer, users can spend more time writing code and less time debugging.

Conclusion

In conclusion, including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH when running Carbon in Compiler Explorer is a simple but important step that can greatly improve the debugging experience. By following the steps outlined above, users can set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable and run Carbon in Compiler Explorer with a stack trace that includes symbols. This can make a big difference in the productivity and satisfaction of users who are working with Carbon in Compiler Explorer.

Future Work

There are several potential future work items related to including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer, including:

Automatically setting LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH: It would be great if Compiler Explorer could automatically set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable when running Carbon.
Providing more detailed stack traces: It would be great if Compiler Explorer could provide more detailed stack traces that include additional information, such as function names and line numbers.
Improving the debugging experience: There are many other ways to improve the debugging experience in Compiler Explorer, including providing more detailed error messages and improving the user interface.

References

Carbon Language
LLVM Symbolizer
Compiler Explorer
Q&A: Including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH when Running Carbon in Compiler Explorer ================================================================================

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the importance of including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH when running Carbon in Compiler Explorer. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer.

Q: What is `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH`?

A: LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH is an environment variable that is used to specify the path to the LLVM symbolizer tool. The symbolizer tool is used to generate a stack trace with symbols, which can be much more useful than a stack trace without symbols.

Q: Why is `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` important?

A: LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH is important because it allows users to generate a stack trace with symbols, which can make it much easier to diagnose issues and fix bugs. Without LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH, users may need to set up a toolchain to get a stack trace with symbols, which can be a significant barrier to entry.

Q: How do I set `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` in Compiler Explorer?

A: To set LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer, users can follow these steps:

Set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable: Users can set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable to the path of the LLVM symbolizer tool. This can be done by running the following command in the terminal:

export LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH=/path/to/llvm-symbolizer

Run Carbon in Compiler Explorer: Once the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable is set, users can run Carbon in Compiler Explorer. The stack trace will now include symbols, making it much easier to diagnose issues.

Q: What are the benefits of including `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` in Compiler Explorer?

A: The benefits of including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer include:

Improved debugging experience: With a stack trace that includes symbols, users can much more easily diagnose issues and fix bugs.
Reduced frustration: Users will no longer need to set up a toolchain to get a stack trace with symbols, making it much easier to use Carbon in Compiler Explorer.
Increased productivity: By including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer, users can spend more time writing code and less time debugging.

Q: Can I automatically set `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` in Compiler Explorer?

A: Yes, it is possible to automatically set LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer. This can be done by modifying the Compiler Explorer configuration file to include the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable.

Q: What are some potential future work items related to including `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` in Compiler Explorer?

A: Some potential future work items related to including LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH in Compiler Explorer include:

Automatically setting LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH: It would be great if Compiler Explorer could automatically set the LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH environment variable when running Carbon.
Providing more detailed stack traces: It would be great if Compiler Explorer could provide more detailed stack traces that include additional information, such as function names and line numbers.
Improving the debugging experience: There are many other ways to improve the debugging experience in Compiler Explorer, including providing more detailed error messages and improving the user interface.

Q: Where can I find more information about `LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH` and Compiler Explorer?

A: You can find more information about LLVM_SYMBOLIZER_PATH and Compiler Explorer on the following websites: