Yes, after programming ever since I was 15, I've learned that it has to be one of both: _ Either I have to accept the basic design choices made in a piece of code as is, and build upon it in the same line of thought - Or, if I really don't want to live with that, I start out completely fresh, not even looking at existing code, since it will just distract me from my path In this case I opted for the second approach. Many transpiler projects out there are somehow related. As you can see by the source code Transcrypt isn't. I needed a fresh approach to reach my goals (the shopping list in the docs). People ask: why not add this or that to an existing project. Answer: because it isn't that simple. For me multiple projects existing alongside each other isn't a problem, but a fact of nature. There exist many C/C++ compilers, prog languages, OS'es, processor chips. Diversity and survival of a rich, diverse set of fit-enough creatures is what drives IT as well, in my view.