blow_skill

Overview

This skill teaches how to design languages and write game engine code in the style of Jonathan Blow. It emphasizes programmer productivity, compile-time execution, explicit memory and performance control, and rejecting complexity that does not serve the programmer. Use it to shape practical, fast-to-iterate systems and language features for game development and creative tools.

How this skill works

The skill inspects language and engine design choices against Blow-style principles: prioritize compile-time work, zero hidden costs, simple readable syntax, and fast compilation. It generates patterns and concrete code ideas like compile-time table generation, SOA/AOS support, explicit allocators, zero-cost iteration, and clear game loops. It also recommends trade-offs and rejects features that add accidental complexity or obscure performance costs.

When to use it

• Designing a new game programming language or DSL
• Rewriting a game engine for performance and iteration speed
• Choosing memory and data-layout strategies (SOA vs AOS)
• Adding metaprogramming or compile-time computation to tooling
• Optimizing build times and developer iteration loops

Best practices

• Favor compile-time computation over runtime work when it simplifies runtime code
• Make common operations trivial and explicit; avoid boilerplate for basic tasks
• Expose memory and performance costs; avoid hidden allocations or implicit copying
• Design for fast incremental compilation and short edit-compile-test cycles
• Provide explicit polymorphism and predictable error handling (no hidden vtables or exceptions)

Example use cases

• Generate lookup tables and asset metadata at compile time to remove runtime cost
• Design an allocator API and frame allocator for deterministic memory usage
• Implement SOA support to improve cache and SIMD performance in entity systems
• Create a concise module system that avoids header-file style duplication and speeds builds
• Prototype language-level metaprogramming that can read files and emit code during compilation