Programming language improvements

A method performed by a computer system for enabling parameters to be provided by reference when invoking a function that is designed in a computer programming language that does not natively support providing parameters by reference, comprising:

• receiving source code having a function declaration and a function call, the function declaration having an annotation indicating that an annotated parameter is to be received by the function that is being declared as a by-reference parameter;
• compiling the received source code wherein the compiling includes indicating in metadata associated with a compiled form of the source code that the annotated parameter is to be received by reference;
• and
• for each instance of the function call, determining from the metadata that the function is to be provided with the annotated parameter by reference and emitting instructions indicating that the parameter's address should be provided.

A computer-readable medium have computer-executable instructions for performing a method of compiling partially complete classes, comprising:

• receiving multiple files containing source code, at least two of the multiple source code files containing a partial definition of a class wherein at least one of the partially defined classes is indicated to be partially defined;
• compiling all source code files but postponing the compilation of the partially complete source code files until all the other source code files have been compiled;
• and
• creating a union of the source code contained in the files that have not yet been compiled and compiling the union, the union completing the partially defined class.