# pforth **Source:** https://github.com/philburk/pforth GitHub - philburk/pforth: Portable Forth in C [Skip to content](#start-of-content) ## Navigation Menu Toggle navigation [Sign in](/login?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) Appearance settings * Platform + AI CODE CREATION - [GitHub CopilotWrite better code with AI](https://github.com/features/copilot) - [GitHub SparkBuild and deploy intelligent apps](https://github.com/features/spark) - [GitHub ModelsManage and compare prompts](https://github.com/features/models) - [MCP RegistryNewIntegrate external tools](https://github.com/mcp) + DEVELOPER WORKFLOWS - [ActionsAutomate any workflow](https://github.com/features/actions) - [CodespacesInstant dev environments](https://github.com/features/codespaces) - [IssuesPlan and track work](https://github.com/features/issues) - [Code ReviewManage code changes](https://github.com/features/code-review) + APPLICATION SECURITY - [GitHub Advanced SecurityFind and fix vulnerabilities](https://github.com/security/advanced-security) - [Code securitySecure your code as you build](https://github.com/security/advanced-security/code-security) - [Secret protectionStop leaks before they start](https://github.com/security/advanced-security/secret-protection) + EXPLORE - [Why GitHub](https://github.com/why-github) - [Documentation](https://docs.github.com) - [Blog](https://github.blog) - [Changelog](https://github.blog/changelog) - [Marketplace](https://github.com/marketplace) [View all features](https://github.com/features) * Solutions + BY COMPANY SIZE - [Enterprises](https://github.com/enterprise) - [Small and medium teams](https://github.com/team) - [Startups](https://github.com/enterprise/startups) - [Nonprofits](https://github.com/solutions/industry/nonprofits) + BY USE CASE - [App Modernization](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/app-modernization) - [DevSecOps](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/devsecops) - [DevOps](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/devops) - [CI/CD](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/ci-cd) - [View all use cases](https://github.com/solutions/use-case) + BY INDUSTRY - [Healthcare](https://github.com/solutions/industry/healthcare) - [Financial services](https://github.com/solutions/industry/financial-services) - [Manufacturing](https://github.com/solutions/industry/manufacturing) - [Government](https://github.com/solutions/industry/government) - [View all industries](https://github.com/solutions/industry) [View all solutions](https://github.com/solutions) * Resources + EXPLORE BY TOPIC - [AI](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=ai) - [Software Development](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=software-development) - [DevOps](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=devops) - [Security](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=security) - [View all topics](https://github.com/resources/articles) + EXPLORE BY TYPE - [Customer stories](https://github.com/customer-stories) - [Events & webinars](https://github.com/resources/events) - [Ebooks & reports](https://github.com/resources/whitepapers) - [Business insights](https://github.com/solutions/executive-insights) - [GitHub Skills](https://skills.github.com) + SUPPORT & SERVICES - [Documentation](https://docs.github.com) - [Customer support](https://support.github.com) - [Community forum](https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions) - [Trust center](https://github.com/trust-center) - [Partners](https://github.com/partners) * Open Source + COMMUNITY - [GitHub SponsorsFund open source developers](https://github.com/sponsors) + PROGRAMS - [Security Lab](https://securitylab.github.com) - [Maintainer Community](https://maintainers.github.com) - [Accelerator](https://github.com/accelerator) - [Archive Program](https://archiveprogram.github.com) + REPOSITORIES - [Topics](https://github.com/topics) - [Trending](https://github.com/trending) - [Collections](https://github.com/collections) * Enterprise + ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS - [Enterprise platformAI-powered developer platform](https://github.com/enterprise) + AVAILABLE ADD-ONS - [GitHub Advanced SecurityEnterprise-grade security features](https://github.com/security/advanced-security) - [Copilot for BusinessEnterprise-grade AI features](https://github.com/features/copilot/copilot-business) - [Premium SupportEnterprise-grade 24/7 support](https://github.com/premium-support) * [Pricing](https://github.com/pricing) Search or jump to... # Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests... 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Dismiss alert {{ message }} [philburk](/philburk) / **[pforth](/philburk/pforth)** Public * [Notifications](/login?return_to=%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) You must be signed in to change notification settings * [Fork 114](/login?return_to=%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) * [Star 684](/login?return_to=%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) Portable Forth in C ### License [0BSD license](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/license.txt) [684 stars](/philburk/pforth/stargazers) [114 forks](/philburk/pforth/forks) [Branches](/philburk/pforth/branches) [Tags](/philburk/pforth/tags) [Activity](/philburk/pforth/activity) [Star](/login?return_to=%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) [Notifications](/login?return_to=%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth) You must be signed in to change notification settings * [Code](/philburk/pforth) * [Issues 26](/philburk/pforth/issues) * [Pull requests 5](/philburk/pforth/pulls) * [Discussions](/philburk/pforth/discussions) * [Actions](/philburk/pforth/actions) * [Projects 0](/philburk/pforth/projects) * [Wiki](/philburk/pforth/wiki) * [Security 0](/philburk/pforth/security) * [Insights](/philburk/pforth/pulse) Additional navigation options * [Code](/philburk/pforth) * [Issues](/philburk/pforth/issues) * [Pull requests](/philburk/pforth/pulls) * [Discussions](/philburk/pforth/discussions) * [Actions](/philburk/pforth/actions) * [Projects](/philburk/pforth/projects) * [Wiki](/philburk/pforth/wiki) * [Security](/philburk/pforth/security) * [Insights](/philburk/pforth/pulse) # philburk/pforth master [Branches](/philburk/pforth/branches)[Tags](/philburk/pforth/tags) Go to file Code Open more actions menu ## Folders and files | Name | | Name | Last commit message | Last commit date | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Latest commit History[219 Commits](/philburk/pforth/commits/master/) 219 Commits | | | | [.github/workflows](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/.github/workflows "This path skips through empty directories") | | [.github/workflows](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/.github/workflows "This path skips through empty directories") | | | | [csrc](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/csrc "csrc") | | [csrc](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/csrc "csrc") | | | | [fth](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/fth "fth") | | [fth](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/fth "fth") | | | | [platforms](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/platforms "platforms") | | [platforms](/philburk/pforth/tree/master/platforms "platforms") | | | | [.gitattributes](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.gitattributes ".gitattributes") | | [.gitattributes](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.gitattributes ".gitattributes") | | | | [.gitignore](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.gitignore ".gitignore") | | [.gitignore](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.gitignore ".gitignore") | | | | [.travis.yml](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.travis.yml ".travis.yml") | | [.travis.yml](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/.travis.yml ".travis.yml") | | | | [CMakeLists.txt](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/CMakeLists.txt "CMakeLists.txt") | | [CMakeLists.txt](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/CMakeLists.txt "CMakeLists.txt") | | | | [README.md](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/README.md "README.md") | | [README.md](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/README.md "README.md") | | | | [RELEASES.md](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/RELEASES.md "RELEASES.md") | | [RELEASES.md](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/RELEASES.md "RELEASES.md") | | | | [license.txt](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/license.txt "license.txt") | | [license.txt](/philburk/pforth/blob/master/license.txt "license.txt") | | | | View all files | | | ## Repository files navigation * [README](#) * [License](#) # PForth - a Portable ANS-like Forth written in ANSI 'C' by Phil Burk with Larry Polansky, David Rosenboom and Darren Gibbs. Support for 64-bit cells by Aleksej Saushev. Portable Forth written in 'C' for most 32 and 64-bit platforms. PForth is written in 'C' and can be easily ported to new 32 and 64-bit platforms. It only needs character input and output functions to operate and, therefore, does not require an operating system. This makes it handy for bringing up and testing embedded systems. PForth also works on desktops including Windows, Mac and Linux and supports command line history. This lets you develop hardware tests on a desktop before trying them on your embedded system. But pForth is not a rich and friendly desktop programming environment. There are no GUI tools for developing desktop applications. PForth is lean and mean and optimized for portability. PForth has a tool for compiling code on a desktop, then exporting the dictionary in big or little endian format as 'C' source code. This lets you compile tests for an embedded system that does not have file I/O. PForth is based on ANSI-Forth but is not 100% compatible. Code for pForth is maintained on GitHub at: Documentation for pForth at: To report bugs or request features please file a GitHub Issue. For questions or general discussion please use the pForth forum at: ## LEGAL NOTICE Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any purpose with or without fee is hereby granted. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. ## Contents of SDK ``` platforms - tools for building pForth on various platforms platforms/unix - Makefile for unix csrc - pForth kernel in ANSI 'C' csrc/pf_main.c - main() application for a standalone Forth csrc/stdio - I/O code using basic stdio for generic platforms csrc/posix - I/O code for Posix platform csrc/win32 - I/O code for basic WIN32 platform csrc/win32_console - I/O code for WIN32 console that supports command line history fth - Forth code fth/util - utility functions ``` ## How to Build pForth Building pForth involves two steps: 1. building the C based Forth kernel 2. building the Forth dictionary file using: ./pforth -i system.fth 3. optional build of standalone executable with built-in dictionary We have provided build scripts to simplify this process. On Unix and MacOS using Makefile: ``` cd platforms/unix make all ./pforth_standalone ``` For more details, see the [Wiki](https://github.com/philburk/pforth/wiki/Compiling-on-Unix) Please note that this can help with other platforms as well, see platforms/zig-crossbuild/ for an example. Using CMake: ``` cmake . make cd fth ./pforth_standalone ``` For embedded systems, see the pForth reference manual at: ## How to Run pForth To run the all-in-one pForth enter: ``` ./pforth_standalone ``` OR, to run using the dictionary file, enter: ``` ./pforth ``` Quick check of Forth: ``` 3 4 + . words bye ``` To compile source code files use: ``` INCLUDE filename ``` To create a custom dictionary enter in pForth: ``` c" newfilename.dic" SAVE-FORTH ``` The name must end in ".dic". To run PForth with the new dictionary enter in the shell: ``` pforth -dnewfilename.dic ``` To run PForth and automatically include a forth file: pforth myprogram.fth ## How to Test pForth PForth comes with a small test suite. To test the Core words, you can use the coretest developed by John Hayes. On Unix and MacOS using Makefile: ``` cd platforms/unix make test ``` Using CMake: ``` cmake . make cd fth ./pforth include tester.fth include coretest.fth ``` To run the other tests, enter: ``` pforth t_corex.fth pforth t_strings.fth pforth t_locals.fth pforth t_alloc.fth ``` They will report the number of tests that pass or fail. You can also test pForth kernel without loading a dictionary using option "-i". Only the primitive words defined in C will be available. This might be necessary if the dictionary can't be built. ``` ./pforth -i 3 4 + . 23 77 swap .s loadsys ``` ## About Portable Forth in C ### Topics [c](/topics/c "Topic: c") [forth](/topics/forth "Topic: forth") ### Resources [Readme](#readme-ov-file) ### License [0BSD license](#0BSD-1-ov-file) ### Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page. [Activity](/philburk/pforth/activity) ### Stars [**684** stars](/philburk/pforth/stargazers) ### Watchers [**42** watching](/philburk/pforth/watchers) ### Forks [**114** forks](/philburk/pforth/forks) [Report repository](/contact/report-content?content_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fphilburk%2Fpforth&report=philburk+%28user%29) ## [Releases 2](/philburk/pforth/releases) [v2.0.1 Latest Jan 9, 2023](/philburk/pforth/releases/tag/v2.0.1) [+ 1 release](/philburk/pforth/releases) ## [Packages 0](/users/philburk/packages?repo_name=pforth) No packages published ### Uh oh! There was an error while loading. 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