# Choosing the new Stan compiler's implementation language

**URL:** https://discourse.mc-stan.org/t/choosing-the-new-stan-compilers-implementation-language/6203
**Category:** Developers
**Created:** [October 25, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://discourse.mc-stan.org/t/choosing-the-new-stan-compilers-implementation-language/6203 "2018-10-25T21:58:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 33

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### Author: ![Bob\_Carpenter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.mc-stan.org/bob_carpenter/32/9230_2.png) [@Bob\_Carpenter](https://discourse.mc-stan.org/u/Bob_Carpenter)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://discourse.mc-stan.org/t/choosing-the-new-stan-compilers-implementation-language/6203/33 "2018-10-29T17:25:25Z")

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Just to back up a bit, we don’t distribute a complete RStan on CRAN right now. The user still has to configure a C++ toolchain, which has been where most of our pain in installation has come in—getting that installed and talking to R and Python properly.

The goal for Stan 3 is to make it _easier_ to install, not harder.

The current working draft proposal (see below) is aimed at trying to get consolidated, simple installers for users that encapsulate Stan, dependent libraries (Eigen, Boost, etc.), and CmdStan (including stanc, which is most likely going to be coded in OCaml). This would lighten the CRAN distribution, not complicate it.

> [@bgoodri](#):
>
> I think basically everything that was said in the draft thread about compilers was wrong but I was waiting to talk to Bob about it rather than having another flame-war on Discourse.

I’m trying to douse the flames here, not accelerate them. I’m trying to toss this stuff out for discussion precisely to uncover potential problems and refine the design. So please comment.

> [@ChrisChiasson](#):
>
> Seems like LLVM would be helpful if you want to build a fast interpreter or compiler.

LLVM would be all sorts of useful if we could get everything done that way. @seantalts has also been suggesting we do more with it.

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