ocaml: phase 1 match/with + pattern parser (+9 tests, 113 total)

Patterns: wildcard, literal, var, ctor (nullary + arg, flattens tuple
args so Pair(a,b) -> (:pcon "Pair" PA PB)), tuple, list literal, cons
:: (right-assoc), unit. Match: leading | optional, (:match SCRUT
CLAUSES) with each clause (:case PAT BODY). Body parsed via parse-expr
because | is below level-1 binop precedence.

lib/ocaml/parser.sx

@@ -5,39 +5,44 @@
 ;; keywords serialize to their string name so `(list :var "x")` is the
 ;; same value as `(list "var" "x")` at runtime.
 ;;
-;; Scope (this iteration — expressions only):
-;;   atoms     int/float/string/char, true/false, unit (), var, con, list literal
+;; Expression scope:
+;;   atoms     int/float/string/char/bool, unit (), var, con, list literal
 ;;   application   left-associative, f x y z
 ;;   prefix    -E unary minus, not E
-;;   infix     standard ops via lib/guest/pratt.sx table
+;;   infix     29 ops via lib/guest/pratt.sx
 ;;   tuple     a, b, c   (lower than infix, higher than let/if)
 ;;   parens    (e)
 ;;   if        if c then t else e   (else optional → unit)
 ;;   fun       fun x y -> body
-;;   let       let x = e in body          (no rec)
-;;             let f x y = e in body      (function shorthand)
+;;   let       let x = e in body          (no rec, function shorthand)
 ;;             let rec f x = e in body
+;;   match     match e with [|] p -> body | p -> body | ...
+;;
+;; Pattern scope:
+;;   _ (wildcard), int/string/char/bool literals, ident (var binding),
+;;   ctor (no args), ctor pat, (), parens, tuple (pat,pat,…),
+;;   list literal [pat;pat;…], cons p1 :: p2.
 ;;
 ;; AST shapes:
 ;;   (:int N) (:float N) (:string S) (:char C) (:bool B) (:unit)
 ;;   (:var NAME) (:con NAME)
-;;   (:app FN ARG)            — binary, chain for multi-arg
-;;   (:op OP LHS RHS)         — binary infix; OP is the source string
+;;   (:app FN ARG)
+;;   (:op OP LHS RHS)
 ;;   (:neg E) (:not E)
-;;   (:tuple ITEMS)
-;;   (:list ITEMS)
+;;   (:tuple ITEMS) (:list ITEMS)
 ;;   (:if C T E)
-;;   (:fun PARAMS BODY)        — PARAMS list of strings (idents)
-;;   (:let NAME PARAMS EXPR BODY)
-;;   (:let-rec NAME PARAMS EXPR BODY)
+;;   (:fun PARAMS BODY)
+;;   (:let NAME PARAMS EXPR BODY) (:let-rec NAME PARAMS EXPR BODY)
+;;   (:match SCRUTINEE CLAUSES)        CLAUSES = ((:case PAT BODY) ...)
+;;
+;;   (:pwild) (:pvar N) (:plit LIT)
+;;   (:pcon NAME ARG-PATS)            — ARG-PATS empty for nullary
+;;   (:ptuple PATS) (:plist PATS) (:pcons HEAD TAIL)
 
 (define ocaml-tok-type (fn (t) (if (= t nil) "eof" (get t :type))))
 
 (define ocaml-tok-value (fn (t) (if (= t nil) nil (get t :value))))
 
-;; Standard OCaml binary operator table.
-;; Higher precedence = tighter binding.
-;; ASSOC is :left or :right.
 (define
   ocaml-op-table
   (list
@@ -87,8 +92,6 @@
       ((entry (pratt-op-lookup ocaml-op-table op)))
       (and (not (= entry nil)) (= (pratt-op-assoc entry) :right)))))
 
-;; Some OCaml binops are spelled with keyword tokens (mod / land / lor /
-;; lxor / lsl / lsr / asr / or). Recognise both shapes.
 (define
   ocaml-tok-is-binop?
   (fn
@@ -138,6 +141,144 @@
                   (ocaml-tok-value (peek-tok)))))))
         (define at-kw? (fn (kw) (check-tok? "keyword" kw)))
         (define at-op? (fn (op) (check-tok? "op" op)))
+        (define parse-pattern (fn () nil))
+        (define parse-pattern-cons (fn () nil))
+        (define parse-pattern-app (fn () nil))
+        (define parse-pattern-atom (fn () nil))
+        (define
+          at-pattern-atom?
+          (fn
+            ()
+            (let
+              ((tt (ocaml-tok-type (peek-tok)))
+                (tv (ocaml-tok-value (peek-tok))))
+              (cond
+                ((= tt "number") true)
+                ((= tt "string") true)
+                ((= tt "char") true)
+                ((= tt "ident") true)
+                ((= tt "ctor") true)
+                ((and (= tt "keyword") (or (= tv "true") (= tv "false")))
+                  true)
+                ((and (= tt "op") (or (= tv "(") (= tv "["))) true)
+                (else false)))))
+        (set!
+          parse-pattern-atom
+          (fn
+            ()
+            (let
+              ((tt (ocaml-tok-type (peek-tok)))
+                (tv (ocaml-tok-value (peek-tok))))
+              (cond
+                ((= tt "number")
+                  (begin
+                    (advance-tok!)
+                    (if
+                      (= (round tv) tv)
+                      (list :plit (list :int tv))
+                      (list :plit (list :float tv)))))
+                ((= tt "string")
+                  (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plit (list :string tv))))
+                ((= tt "char")
+                  (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plit (list :char tv))))
+                ((and (= tt "keyword") (= tv "true"))
+                  (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plit (list :bool true))))
+                ((and (= tt "keyword") (= tv "false"))
+                  (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plit (list :bool false))))
+                ((and (= tt "ident") (= tv "_"))
+                  (begin (advance-tok!) (list :pwild)))
+                ((= tt "ident") (begin (advance-tok!) (list :pvar tv)))
+                ((= tt "ctor") (begin (advance-tok!) (list :pcon tv)))
+                ((and (= tt "op") (= tv "("))
+                  (begin
+                    (advance-tok!)
+                    (cond
+                      ((at-op? ")")
+                        (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plit (list :unit))))
+                      (else
+                        (let
+                          ((first (parse-pattern)))
+                          (cond
+                            ((at-op? ",")
+                              (let
+                                ((items (list first)))
+                                (begin
+                                  (define
+                                    loop
+                                    (fn
+                                      ()
+                                      (when
+                                        (at-op? ",")
+                                        (begin
+                                          (advance-tok!)
+                                          (append! items (parse-pattern))
+                                          (loop)))))
+                                  (loop)
+                                  (consume! "op" ")")
+                                  (cons :ptuple items))))
+                            (else (begin (consume! "op" ")") first))))))))
+                ((and (= tt "op") (= tv "["))
+                  (begin
+                    (advance-tok!)
+                    (cond
+                      ((at-op? "]") (begin (advance-tok!) (list :plist)))
+                      (else
+                        (let
+                          ((items (list)))
+                          (begin
+                            (append! items (parse-pattern))
+                            (define
+                              loop
+                              (fn
+                                ()
+                                (when
+                                  (at-op? ";")
+                                  (begin
+                                    (advance-tok!)
+                                    (when
+                                      (not (at-op? "]"))
+                                      (begin
+                                        (append! items (parse-pattern))
+                                        (loop)))))))
+                            (loop)
+                            (consume! "op" "]")
+                            (cons :plist items)))))))
+                (else
+                  (error
+                    (str
+                      "ocaml-parse: unexpected pattern token "
+                      tt
+                      " "
+                      tv
+                      " at idx "
+                      idx)))))))
+        (set!
+          parse-pattern-app
+          (fn
+            ()
+            (let
+              ((head (parse-pattern-atom)))
+              (cond
+                ((and (= (nth head 0) :pcon) (at-pattern-atom?))
+                  (let
+                    ((arg (parse-pattern-atom)))
+                    (let
+                      ((args (cond ((= (nth arg 0) :ptuple) (rest arg)) (else (list arg)))))
+                      (concat (list :pcon (nth head 1)) args))))
+                (else head)))))
+        (set!
+          parse-pattern-cons
+          (fn
+            ()
+            (let
+              ((lhs (parse-pattern-app)))
+              (cond
+                ((at-op? "::")
+                  (begin
+                    (advance-tok!)
+                    (list :pcons lhs (parse-pattern-cons))))
+                (else lhs)))))
+        (set! parse-pattern (fn () (parse-pattern-cons)))
         (define parse-expr (fn () nil))
         (define parse-tuple (fn () nil))
         (define parse-binop-rhs (fn (lhs min-prec) lhs))
@@ -393,6 +534,40 @@
                           ((else-expr (parse-expr)))
                           (list :if cond-expr then-expr else-expr))))
                     (else (list :if cond-expr then-expr (list :unit)))))))))
+        (define
+          parse-match
+          (fn
+            ()
+            (let
+              ((scrut (parse-expr)))
+              (begin
+                (consume! "keyword" "with")
+                (when (at-op? "|") (advance-tok!))
+                (let
+                  ((cases (list)))
+                  (begin
+                    (define
+                      one
+                      (fn
+                        ()
+                        (let
+                          ((p (parse-pattern)))
+                          (begin
+                            (consume! "op" "->")
+                            (let
+                              ((body (parse-match-body)))
+                              (append! cases (list :case p body)))))))
+                    (one)
+                    (define
+                      loop
+                      (fn
+                        ()
+                        (when
+                          (at-op? "|")
+                          (begin (advance-tok!) (one) (loop)))))
+                    (loop)
+                    (cons :match (cons scrut (list cases)))))))))
+        (define parse-match-body (fn () (parse-expr)))
         (set!
           parse-expr
           (fn
@@ -401,6 +576,7 @@
               ((at-kw? "fun") (begin (advance-tok!) (parse-fun)))
               ((at-kw? "let") (begin (advance-tok!) (parse-let)))
               ((at-kw? "if") (begin (advance-tok!) (parse-if)))
+              ((at-kw? "match") (begin (advance-tok!) (parse-match)))
               (else (parse-tuple)))))
         (let
           ((result (parse-expr)))
@@ -422,7 +598,10 @@
   (fn
     (src)
     (let
-      ((tokens (ocaml-tokenize src)) (idx 0) (tok-len 0) (decls (list)))
+      ((tokens (ocaml-tokenize src))
+        (idx 0)
+        (tok-len 0)
+        (decls (list)))
       (begin
         (set! tok-len (len tokens))
         (define peek-tok (fn () (nth tokens idx)))

lib/ocaml/test.sh

@@ -280,6 +280,26 @@ cat > "$TMPFILE" << 'EPOCHS'
 (epoch 278)
 (eval "(ocaml-parse-program \"\")")
 
+;; ── Match / patterns ───────────────────────────────────────────
+(epoch 300)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with | None -> 0 | Some y -> y\")")
+(epoch 301)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with None -> 0 | Some y -> y\")")
+(epoch 302)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match l with | [] -> 0 | h :: t -> 1\")")
+(epoch 303)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match p with | (a, b) -> a + b\")")
+(epoch 304)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match n with | 0 -> 1 | _ -> n\")")
+(epoch 305)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with | true -> 1 | false -> 0\")")
+(epoch 306)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with | Pair (a, b) -> a + b\")")
+(epoch 307)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with | \\\"hi\\\" -> 1 | _ -> 0\")")
+(epoch 308)
+(eval "(ocaml-parse \"match x with | () -> 0\")")
+
 EPOCHS
 
 OUTPUT=$(timeout 60 "$SX_SERVER" < "$TMPFILE" 2>/dev/null)
@@ -445,6 +465,17 @@ check 276 "program: mixed decls + expr"  '("def" "y" () ("int" 2)) ("expr"'
 check 277 "program: 4 forms incl head"   '4'
 check 278 "program: empty"               '("program")'
 
+# ── Match / patterns ────────────────────────────────────────────
+check 300 "match Some/None"              '("match" ("var" "x") (("case" ("pcon" "None") ("int" 0)) ("case" ("pcon" "Some" ("pvar" "y")) ("var" "y")))'
+check 301 "match no leading bar"         '("match" ("var" "x") (("case" ("pcon" "None") ("int" 0)) ("case" ("pcon" "Some"'
+check 302 "match list cons"              '("case" ("plist") ("int" 0)) ("case" ("pcons" ("pvar" "h") ("pvar" "t")) ("int" 1))'
+check 303 "match tuple pat"              '("ptuple" ("pvar" "a") ("pvar" "b"))'
+check 304 "match int + wildcard"         '("case" ("plit" ("int" 0)) ("int" 1)) ("case" ("pwild")'
+check 305 "match bool literals"          '("plit" ("bool" true))'
+check 306 "match ctor with tuple arg"    '("pcon" "Pair" ("pvar" "a") ("pvar" "b"))'
+check 307 "match string literal"         '("plit" ("string" "hi"))'
+check 308 "match unit pattern"           '("plit" ("unit"))'
+
 TOTAL=$((PASS + FAIL))
 if [ $FAIL -eq 0 ]; then
   echo "ok $PASS/$TOTAL OCaml-on-SX tests passed"

plans/ocaml-on-sx.md

@@ -133,8 +133,11 @@ SX CEK evaluator (both JS and OCaml hosts)
       via `ocaml-parse-program`. _(Pending: `type`/`module`/`exception`/`open`/
       `include` decls, `match`/`with`, `try`/`with`, `function`, record literals/
       updates, field access, sequences `;`, `and` mutually-recursive bindings.)_
-- [ ] **Patterns:** constructor, literal, variable, wildcard `_`, tuple, list cons `::`,
-      list literal, record, `as`, or-pattern `P1 | P2`, `when` guard.
+- [~] **Patterns:** constructor (nullary + with args, incl. flattened tuple
+      args `Pair (a, b)` → `(:pcon "Pair" PA PB)`), literal (int/string/char/
+      bool/unit), variable, wildcard `_`, tuple, list cons `::`, list literal.
+      _(Pending: record patterns, `as` binding, or-pattern `P1 | P2`, `when`
+      guard.)_
 - [ ] OCaml is **not** indentation-sensitive — no layout algorithm needed.
 - [ ] Tests in `lib/ocaml/tests/parse.sx` — 50+ round-trip parse tests.
 
@@ -311,6 +314,14 @@ the "mother tongue" closure: OCaml → SX → OCaml. This means:
 
 _Newest first._
 
+- 2026-05-07 Phase 1 — `match`/`with` + pattern parser. Patterns: wildcard,
+  literal, var, ctor (nullary + with arg, with tuple-arg flattening so
+  `Pair (a, b)` → `(:pcon "Pair" PA PB)`), tuple, list literal, cons `::`
+  (right-assoc), parens, unit. Match clauses: leading `|` optional, body
+  parsed via `parse-expr`. AST: `(:match SCRUT CLAUSES)` where each clause
+  is `(:case PAT BODY)`. 113/113 tests passing (+9). Note: parse-expr is
+  used for case bodies, so a trailing `| pat -> body` after a complex body
+  will be reached because `|` is not in the binop table for level 1.
 - 2026-05-07 Phase 1 — top-level program parser `ocaml-parse-program`. Parses
   a sequence of `let [rec] name params* = expr` decls and bare expressions
   separated by `;;`. Output `(:program DECLS)` with each decl one of `(:def …)`,