hra1129/msx_basic_compiler

What is it?

Key features

• 01Compiles MSX-BASIC source files into assembly code for MSX.
• 02Supports the standard MSX-BASIC PLAY statement and PLAY(n) function for PSG music.
• 03Determines default variable types across the whole source from DEFINT, DEFSNG, DEFDBL and DEFSTR.
• 04Works with the ZMA assembler to produce a runnable binary.
• 05Ships with an OpenMSX test disk for checking PLAY behavior.

Use cases

• Speeding up an existing MSX-BASIC program by compiling it to machine code.
• Experimenting with MSX sound by writing PLAY music in BASIC.
• Studying how an MSX-BASIC compiler handles variables and strings.

Quick start

1. 1

   Write the BASIC program hello.bas

2. 2

   Compile hello.bas to assembly with msx_bacon

   msx_bacon hello.bas hello.asm
3. 3

   Assemble hello.asm to hello.bin with ZMA (separate assembler)

   zma hello.asm hello.bin
4. 4

   Copy hello.bin and BACONLDR.BIN to MSX and load them with BLOAD

Things to know

• !Requires the separate ZMA assembler to produce the final binary.
• !The macOS install path is hard-coded to /opt/homebrew/bin and the Makefile must be edited for other setups.
• !Some MSX-BASIC features are unsupported, such as LIST, RENUM, TRON, TROFF and MERGE, and runtime error checking is minimal.

In collections

Topics

FAQ

What is msx_basic_compiler?

BACON, a compiler that translates MSX-BASIC programs into machine code for MSX computers, with PLAY (PSG music) support. msx_basic_compiler (BACON) compiles MSX-BASIC source files into assembly code, which is then assembled into a binary that runs on MSX computers. The generated program is loaded alongside a BACON loader binary and executed on the MSX, so the compiled code runs without the BASIC interpreter's usual per-line interpretation.

Is msx_basic_compiler free to use? What license does it have?

msx_basic_compiler is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.

Is msx_basic_compiler still maintained?

Actively maintained. The last commit to msx_basic_compiler was on Nov 2, 2026.

What can I use msx_basic_compiler for?

Speeding up an existing MSX-BASIC program by compiling it to machine code. Experimenting with MSX sound by writing PLAY music in BASIC. Studying how an MSX-BASIC compiler handles variables and strings.

How do I install msx_basic_compiler?

Write the BASIC program hello.bas Compile hello.bas to assembly with msx_bacon: msx_bacon hello.bas hello.asm Assemble hello.asm to hello.bin with ZMA (separate assembler): zma hello.asm hello.bin Copy hello.bin and BACONLDR.BIN to MSX and load them with BLOAD

Where can I get msx_basic_compiler?

The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/hra1129/msx_basic_compiler