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Spore Design Vision

Spore is a compiled, general-purpose programming language where intent is a first-class citizen.

Core principles

1. Signatures are gravity centers

A function signature is a complete specification: input/output types, error sets, cost budget, and required effects. All downstream analysis flows from the signature. The body can be empty — the intent is already fully expressed.

2. Holes are collaboration points, not errors

A program with holes compiles successfully. It is partial, not broken. Holes are the primary mechanism for structured collaboration between humans, Agents, and teams. The compiler provides a self-contained HoleReport for each hole so that any reader — human or machine — can propose a fill without additional context.

3. Architecture first, details later

The recommended workflow is top-down: define signatures and types, verify the skeleton with the compiler, then fill holes iteratively in dependency order. Design-critical decisions must be reviewed explicitly before implementation proceeds.

4. The compiler is a documentation assistant

Every compiler output — diagnostics, hole reports, incremental events, dependency graphs — is available in both human-readable and machine-readable form. Humans see clear error messages with repair hints; Agents see structured JSON suitable for automated reasoning.

5. Explicit effect and cost models

Every side effect must be covered by declared effects. Every computational cost can be bounded and verified at compile time. A function's impact is fully assessable from its signature alone.

6. Content-addressed, not version-numbered

Modules are identified by content hashes (signature hash for interface compatibility, implementation hash for caching). No semver, no diamond dependency conflicts.

Intellectual heritage

Language Idea adopted
Agda Holes as first-class typed placeholders
Idris Elaboration — the compiler fills in details the programmer omits
Unison Content-addressed code — modules identified by hash, not name+version
Elm Human-friendly error messages as a primary design goal
Roc Managed effects — all IO through platform-provided effect handlers

Guiding questions for every design decision

  1. Does this make user intent clearer or more obscure?
  2. Does this reduce ambiguity for Agents?
  3. Can the key semantics be exported in a stable, machine-readable form?
  4. Does it improve or degrade diagnostics and repair workflows?
  5. Does it preserve conceptual coherence with the rest of Spore?