Seeking Guidance on Creating a Domain-Specific Language

What's the core problem you're hoping to address with your DSL? Having a clear use case can really help streamline your focus and determine the direction of your project.

Just a heads up, Groovy and Maven files are actually strongly and statically typed. If you want to create something dynamically typed, it will definitely feel quite different. From experience, using a parser combinator library like jParsec can sometimes be more straightforward than going with traditional parser generators like ANTLR.

Switching to a DSL is a smart move for a final project. If you like Maven and Groovy, think about creating something that focuses on configurations or task definitions—like setting up services or managing task dependencies. Combining ANTLR with Java should work out well for that.

I've found that while parsing is manageable, making it user-friendly can be tricky. Keeping your scope limited and focusing on making one specific use case solid can often be enough for a successful project!

If you're looking for DSL project inspiration, I have an idea for a web app documentation generator! Documenting user procedures can be a hassle, especially when changes happen. This DSL could define a user manual that utilizes Selenium to navigate the app, take screenshots, and generate tutorials.

The syntax would resemble an extended Markdown and would include various commands to handle tasks like loading environment variables, defining inputs, and more. You could ultimately generate output in different formats, such as PDFs or interactive HTML manuals, and even include video tutorials. It’s an ambitious idea, but a fun challenge!

For building simple DSLs, consider creating embedded or internal DSLs using a host language like Ruby, Kotlin, or Scala. If you're going for external DSLs, parsing tools like ANTLR or PEG.js might be your best bet, or even regex with templates for more basic custom syntax.