# Blaise process alignment — reference note

How the m2compiler-V2 build process maps to the Blaise compiler
project's phased process (`graemeg/blaise`: Phase 1 bootstrap
pipeline, 2 type system, 3 generics, 4 multi-file compilation,
5 OPDF debug info, 6 LLVM backend, 7 LSP, 8 migration analyser).

## Phase mapping

| Blaise phase | Our step | Match |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bootstrap pipeline | 1 Coco/R frontend + `gm2` toolchain proof | Loose — same "prove the pipeline first" idea, but no bootstrapping |
| 2 type system | 2 SymTab semantic analysis | Yes — see `summary_m2comp_step2.md` ("Follows Blaise Phase 2") |
| (AST/IR) | 3 AST layer (Mössenböck recipe) | Yes in spirit — Blaise builds IR; we build a tree |
| Backend (QBE/native) | 4 MC64 tree-walking backend | Yes — frontend builds tree, backend walks it |
| 4 multi-file compilation | 5 separate compilation | Yes, almost one-to-one |
| 5 OPDF debug info | 7 backend listing (`DumpImage`) | Partial — disassembly listing, not debug records |

## Shared discipline

- Phased work, tagged milestones (`m2comp-step1` …), test-guarded
  progress (3/3 → 65/65).
- Per-phase docs (`docs/summary_m2comp_stepN.md` ~ their
  `docs/design.adoc`).
- Byte-identical-image checks play the role of their fixpoint
  verification (don't break the past, different mechanism).

## Honest deviations

- **No self-hosting.** Bootstrapping to a fixpoint is central to
  Blaise; we compile with `gm2` and target a VM interpreter.
- **Wirth-school single-pass heritage.** Steps 1–2 fold checking
  into Coco/R grammar actions; Blaise is a multi-pass IR
  compiler. Steps 3–4 move toward Blaise's front/back split, but
  the actions remain.
- **Different roadmap ahead.** `goal_step8.md` (opaque types,
  procedure types, LONGINT quads) targets language completeness;
  Blaise's remaining phases (generics, LSP, LLVM, migration
  analyser) target ecosystem.
- **Spec-driven VM work** (`mc64-spec.md`, loader, `STAK`/`DEP`)
  has no Blaise counterpart — Turbo Modula-2 archaeology, not
  their process.

Conclusion: skeleton and phase rhythm are Blaise-like, adapted
to a Wirth-style, VM-targeted, non-bootstrapped compiler.