Since encountering the Stalin compiler for Scheme about 10-15 years ago I guess (see Flow Directed Lightweight Closure Conversion, PDF), I've been fascinated by the whole-program analysis approach. Starkiller for Python is in the same ballpark.
So this ML compiler called MLton caught my attention.
MLton is a whole-program optimizing Standard ML compiler. It generates standalone executables with excellent runtime performance, supports the full SML 97 language, and has a complete basis library. It also has a fast C FFI, source-level time and allocation profiling, and many useful libraries.
See them on The Great Computer Language Shootout (although so few Stalin programs have been contributed that it has been relegated to The Sandbox).
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