AZM Engineering Manual
This book is a technical reference for engineers working on the AZM assembler. It explains the repository structure, the compile pipeline, the public APIs, the source parser, the assembly model, the Z80 encoder, register-care analysis, artifact writing and the verification lanes that support the implementation.
This manual is updated against the AZM codebase state through 2026-05-27. Use it as the map when planning changes. Use the TypeScript source and tests as the final authority when a detail has changed.
AZM is deliberately compact. The codebase is organised around one central path: load source, parse it into source items, expand visible ops, build assembler-time facts, emit bytes, resolve fixups and write artifacts. Most files either support one step on that path or expose the path to the CLI, Debug80 or tests.
Chapters
- Chapter 1 - Orientation and Repository Layout
- Chapter 2 - Source Loading and Parsing
- Chapter 3 - Assembly and Z80 Emission
- Chapter 4 - Ops and Register Care
- Chapter 5 - Interfaces and Output Artifacts
- Chapter 6 - Verification and Maintenance
Appendices
- Appendix A - Directory and File Reference
- Appendix B - Compile Flow Reference
- Appendix C - Public Surface Reference