NQP

NQP, short for Not Quite Perl, is a lightweight, self-contained subset of the Perl 6 language designed to support the development and bootstrapping of the Raku ecosystem. It provides a compact interpreter and runtime that implements a small portion of Perl 6 semantics, enabling rapid iteration of language features and compiler development. NQP is primarily used as a target and testbed for Rakudo, the reference compiler for Raku, and as a place to experiment with core language constructs without needing the full Rakudo stack.

The design of NQP emphasizes simplicity and portability. It implements essential language features such as scalar and list data, control structures, subroutines, and basic I/O, enough to support compiler components and to run self-hosted code. It is written in C and has historical ties to the Parrot virtual machine, with development aimed at supporting backends used by the Raku ecosystem.

In practice, NQP serves as a development and testing platform for Rakudo’s compiler backend. It provides a smaller, easier-to-maintain environment in which to prototype features and verify interactions before integrating them into the full Rakudo/Raku toolchain. Although not a complete Perl 6 implementation, it remains a foundational component for bootstrapping, education, and tooling within the language’s community.

See also: Perl 6 (Raku), Rakudo, MoarVM, Parrot, Not Quite Perl.