eyelang 1.7.16 → 2.0.0

package/examples/vulnerability-impact.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+% Vulnerability impact analysis over a transitive dependency graph.
+% Services inherit exposure through direct and bounded transitive dependencies.
+% High-CVSS vulnerable packages derive risk and mitigation facts; critical
+% services additionally receive urgent patch recommendations.
+
+materialize(uses, 2).
+materialize(impacted_by, 2).
+materialize(risk, 2).
+materialize(mitigate, 2).
+materialize(urgent_patch, 2).
+
+service(webapp).
+service(worker).
+service(frontend).
+
+critical(webapp).
+critical(worker).
+
+depends_on(webapp, api).
+depends_on(worker, queue).
+depends_on(frontend, ui).
+depends_on(api, auth).
+depends_on(auth, openssl).
+depends_on(queue, openssl).
+depends_on(ui, css).
+
+vulnerability(openssl, cve_2026_0001).
+cvss(cve_2026_0001, 9.8).
+fixed_by(cve_2026_0001, openssl_3_0_14).
+
+vulnerability(css, cve_2026_0002).
+cvss(cve_2026_0002, 5.4).
+fixed_by(cve_2026_0002, css_2_1_1).
+
+uses(Service, Dependency) :-
+  service(Service),
+  depends_on(Service, Dependency).
+
+uses(Service, Dependency) :-
+  service(Service),
+  depends_on(Service, Intermediate),
+  depends_on(Intermediate, Dependency).
+
+uses(Service, Dependency) :-
+  service(Service),
+  depends_on(Service, Intermediate),
+  depends_on(Intermediate, Next),
+  depends_on(Next, Dependency).
+
+impacted_by(Service, Dependency) :-
+  uses(Service, Dependency).
+
+% exposed_to/2 connects dependency reachability to high-severity CVEs.
+exposed_to(Service, Vulnerability) :-
+  uses(Service, Package),
+  vulnerability(Package, Vulnerability),
+  cvss(Vulnerability, Score),
+  gt(Score, 7.0).
+
+risk(Service, high) :-
+  exposed_to(Service, _vulnerability).
+
+mitigate(Service, Vulnerability) :-
+  exposed_to(Service, Vulnerability).
+
+urgent_patch(Service, Patch) :-
+  critical(Service),
+  exposed_to(Service, Vulnerability),
+  fixed_by(Vulnerability, Patch).

package/examples/web-names.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+% Web names as first-class Eyelang atoms.
+%
+% Angle-bracket IRI atoms are ordinary atoms with globally meaningful names.
+% They are self-contained, require no prefix declarations, and can be joined
+% directly across rules just like any other atom.
+
+materialize(affiliated_with, 2).
+materialize(project_contact, 3).
+
+table(parent_organization, 2).
+
+% A tiny graph using absolute IRI atoms directly.
+triple('<https://data.ugent.be/id/josd>', '<https://schema.org/name>', "Jos De Roo").
+triple('<https://data.ugent.be/id/josd>', '<https://schema.org/email>', "josderoo@gmail.com").
+triple('<https://data.ugent.be/id/josd>', '<https://schema.org/affiliation>', '<https://data.ugent.be/id/idlab>').
+triple('<https://data.ugent.be/id/idlab>', '<https://schema.org/parentOrganization>', '<https://data.ugent.be/id/ugent>').
+
+triple('<https://github.com/eyereasoner/eyelang>', '<https://schema.org/name>', "eyelang").
+triple('<https://github.com/eyereasoner/eyelang>', '<https://schema.org/codeRepository>', '<https://github.com/eyereasoner/eyelang>').
+triple('<https://github.com/eyereasoner/eyelang>', '<https://schema.org/maintainer>', '<https://data.ugent.be/id/josd>').
+
+% Organization membership follows parentOrganization links transitively.
+parent_organization(Unit, Org) :-
+    triple(Unit, '<https://schema.org/parentOrganization>', Org).
+parent_organization(Unit, Org) :-
+    triple(Unit, '<https://schema.org/parentOrganization>', Mid),
+    parent_organization(Mid, Org).
+
+affiliated_with(Person, Org) :-
+    triple(Person, '<https://schema.org/affiliation>', Org).
+affiliated_with(Person, Org) :-
+    triple(Person, '<https://schema.org/affiliation>', Unit),
+    parent_organization(Unit, Org).
+
+% A project contact is derived by joining the project's maintainer with the
+% maintainer's email.  The join works because both facts use the same IRI atom.
+project_contact(Project, Person, Email) :-
+    triple(Project, '<https://schema.org/maintainer>', Person),
+    triple(Person, '<https://schema.org/email>', Email).

package/examples/weighted-interval-scheduling.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+% Weighted interval scheduling via tabled dynamic programming.
+%
+% Intervals are ordered by finish time.  best_from(I,Best) compares the two
+% choices at position I: skip it, or take it and jump to the next compatible
+% interval.  chosen_from/2 then walks the tabled decisions to report a schedule.
+materialize(weighted_interval_answer, 2).
+
+table(best_from, 2).
+
+last_interval(8).
+sentinel(9).
+
+interval(1, 1, 4, 5).
+interval(2, 3, 5, 1).
+interval(3, 0, 6, 8).
+interval(4, 4, 7, 4).
+interval(5, 3, 9, 6).
+interval(6, 5, 9, 3).
+interval(7, 6, 10, 2).
+interval(8, 8, 11, 4).
+
+% Find the earliest later interval whose start is not before I's finish.
+next_compatible(I, J) :-
+  interval(I, _start, Finish, _value),
+  aggregate_min(K, K,
+    (interval(K, Startk, _finishk, _valuek), gt(K, I), ge(Startk, Finish)),
+    J, J).
+next_compatible(I, 9) :-
+  interval(I, _start, Finish, _value),
+  not((interval(K, Startk, _finishk, _valuek), gt(K, I), ge(Startk, Finish))).
+
+best_from(9, 0).
+best_from(I, Best) :-
+  last_interval(Last),
+  le(I, Last),
+  add(I, 1, Next),
+  best_from(Next, Skip),
+  next_compatible(I, Compatible),
+  best_from(Compatible, Tail),
+  interval(I, _start, _finish, Value),
+  add(Value, Tail, Take),
+  max(Take, Skip, Best).
+
+% Reconstruction emits an interval when the take branch matches the optimal value.
+chosen_from(I, I) :-
+  best_from(I, Best),
+  add(I, 1, Next),
+  best_from(Next, Skip),
+  next_compatible(I, Compatible),
+  best_from(Compatible, Tail),
+  interval(I, _start, _finish, Value),
+  add(Value, Tail, Take),
+  eq(Best, Take),
+  ge(Take, Skip).
+chosen_from(I, Chosen) :-
+  best_from(I, Best),
+  add(I, 1, Next),
+  best_from(Next, Skip),
+  next_compatible(I, Compatible),
+  best_from(Compatible, Tail),
+  interval(I, _start, _finish, Value),
+  add(Value, Tail, Take),
+  eq(Best, Take),
+  ge(Take, Skip),
+  chosen_from(Compatible, Chosen).
+chosen_from(I, Chosen) :-
+  best_from(I, Best),
+  add(I, 1, Next),
+  best_from(Next, Skip),
+  next_compatible(I, Compatible),
+  best_from(Compatible, Tail),
+  interval(I, _start, _finish, Value),
+  add(Value, Tail, Take),
+  gt(Skip, Take),
+  chosen_from(Next, Chosen).
+
+weighted_interval_answer(best_value, Best) :- best_from(1, Best).
+weighted_interval_answer(chosen_interval, interval(I, Start, Finish, Value)) :-
+  chosen_from(1, I),
+  interval(I, Start, Finish, Value).
+weighted_interval_answer(candidate_count, Count) :- countall(interval(_i, _start, _finish, _value), Count).

package/examples/witch.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+% Burn the witch, adapted from Eyeling's examples/witch.n3.
+%
+% This is the classic N3/Semantic Web rule chain in eyelang form: a duck
+% floats; something with the same weight as something that floats also floats;
+% things that float are made of wood; things made of wood burn; and a woman
+% who burns is a witch.
+
+% Output declarations: materialize/2 selects the relations written to this example's golden output.
+materialize(floats, 1).
+materialize(madeOfWood, 1).
+materialize(burns, 1).
+materialize(witch, 1).
+materialize(is, 2).
+
+% Program structure: facts set up the scenario, and rules derive the materialized conclusions.
+% Derivation rules: each rule below contributes one logical step toward the displayed results.
+witch(X) :-
+  burns(X),
+  woman(X).
+
+woman(girl).
+
+burns(X) :-
+  madeOfWood(X).
+
+madeOfWood(X) :-
+  floats(X).
+
+floats(duck).
+
+floats(Y) :-
+  sameWeight(X, Y),
+  floats(X).
+
+sameWeight(duck, girl).
+
+is(witchExample, true) :-
+  witch(girl).

package/examples/wolf-goat-cabbage.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+% Wolf, goat and cabbage puzzle, adapted from Eyelet's
+% input/wolf-goat-cabbage.pl.
+%
+% A configuration is [man, wolf, goat, cabbage], where each item is on the west
+% bank w or east bank e.  The recursive search keeps a visited list so eyelang
+% explores the finite state space without looping.
+
+% Output declarations: materialize/2 selects the relations written to this example's golden output.
+materialize(solution, 2).
+materialize(solved, 2).
+
+% Program structure: facts set up the scenario, and rules derive the materialized conclusions.
+table(solve, 4).
+
+% Derivation rules: each rule below contributes one logical step toward the displayed results.
+solution(Moves) :-
+  solve([w, w, w, w], [e, e, e, e], [[w, w, w, w]], Moves),
+  length(Moves, 7).
+
+solve(Config, Config, _visited, []).
+
+solve(Config, Goal, Visited, [Move|Rest]) :-
+  move(Config, Move, Nextconfig),
+  safe(Nextconfig),
+  not_member(Nextconfig, Visited),
+  solve(Nextconfig, Goal, [Nextconfig|Visited], Rest).
+
+% Each move transforms one configuration into another.
+move([X, X, Goat, Cabbage], wolf, [Y, Y, Goat, Cabbage]) :-
+  change(X, Y).
+
+move([X, Wolf, X, Cabbage], goat, [Y, Wolf, Y, Cabbage]) :-
+  change(X, Y).
+
+move([X, Wolf, Goat, X], cabbage, [Y, Wolf, Goat, Y]) :-
+  change(X, Y).
+
+move([X, Wolf, Goat, Cabbage], nothing, [Y, Wolf, Goat, Cabbage]) :-
+  change(X, Y).
+
+change(e, w).
+change(w, e).
+
+% Safe if the goat is not left alone with the wolf or cabbage without the man.
+safe([Man, Wolf, Goat, Cabbage]) :-
+  one_eq(Man, Goat, Wolf),
+  one_eq(Man, Goat, Cabbage).
+
+one_eq(X, X, _).
+one_eq(X, _, X).
+
+solution(puzzle, Moves) :-
+  solution(Moves).
+
+solved(puzzle, true) :-
+  solution(_moves).

package/examples/workplace-compliance.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+% Workplace compliance from explicit action facts.
+%
+% The source example generated a large dynamic dataset.  Eyelang keeps the data
+% explicit and reproducible: each `does/2` fact records an observed employee
+% action, and the rules classify compliant and non-compliant behaviour.
+
+materialize(status, 2).
+
+employee(alice).
+employee(bob).
+employee(carol).
+employee(dave).
+
+does(alice, log_off_at_end_of_shift).
+does(bob, work_related_task).
+does(bob, log_off_at_end_of_shift).
+does(carol, access_social_media).
+does(dave, work_related_task).
+
+% Work-related activity is compliant when the employee also logs off.
+status(Person, compliant) :-
+  employee(Person),
+  does(Person, work_related_task),
+  does(Person, log_off_at_end_of_shift).
+
+% Logging off is compliant by itself when no work task was observed.
+status(Person, compliant) :-
+  employee(Person),
+  does(Person, log_off_at_end_of_shift),
+  not(does(Person, work_related_task)).
+
+% A work task without the required log-off is non-compliant.
+status(Person, non_compliant) :-
+  employee(Person),
+  does(Person, work_related_task),
+  not(does(Person, log_off_at_end_of_shift)).
+
+% Accessing social media is non-compliant in this policy.
+status(Person, non_compliant) :-
+  employee(Person),
+  does(Person, access_social_media).

package/examples/zebra.pl

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+% Zebra puzzle, adapted from Eyelet's input/zebra.pl.
+%
+% Five houses are represented as house(Color, Nationality, Pet, Beverage,
+% Cigarette).  Each clue is a member/2, first/2, third/2, next_to/3, or adjacent/3
+% constraint over that list.  The answer is the classic one: the Norwegian drinks
+% water and the Japanese owns the zebra.
+
+% Output declarations: materialize/2 selects the relations written to this example's golden output.
+materialize(waterDrinker, 2).
+materialize(zebraOwner, 2).
+materialize(solved, 2).
+
+% The single zebra/2 rule is a finite constraint model over the five house slots.
+zebra(Waterdrinker, Zebraowner) :-
+  eq(Houses, [_, _, _, _, _]),
+  first(Houses, house(_, norwegian, _, _, _)),
+  third(Houses, house(_, _, _, milk, _)),
+  adjacent(house(_, norwegian, _, _, _), house(blue, _, _, _, _), Houses),
+  next_to(house(ivory, _, _, _, _), house(green, _, _, _, _), Houses),
+  member(house(red, english, _, _, _), Houses),
+  member(house(green, _, _, coffee, _), Houses),
+  member(house(yellow, _, _, _, kools), Houses),
+  member(house(_, spanish, dog, _, _), Houses),
+  member(house(_, ukrainian, _, tea, _), Houses),
+  member(house(_, _, snail, _, old_gold), Houses),
+  adjacent(house(_, _, _, _, chesterfields), house(_, _, fox, _, _), Houses),
+  adjacent(house(_, _, _, _, kools), house(_, _, horse, _, _), Houses),
+  member(house(_, _, _, orange_juice, lucky_strike), Houses),
+  member(house(_, japanese, _, _, parliaments), Houses),
+  member(house(_, Waterdrinker, _, water, _), Houses),
+  member(house(_, Zebraowner, zebra, _, _), Houses).
+
+% Positional and neighborhood helpers keep the clue encoding readable.
+first([X|_], X).
+third([_, _, X|_], X).
+
+adjacent(A, B, List) :- next_to(A, B, List).
+adjacent(A, B, List) :- next_to(B, A, List).
+
+next_to(X, Y, [X, Y|_]).
+next_to(X, Y, [_|Zs]) :- next_to(X, Y, Zs).
+
+waterDrinker(zebraPuzzle, Waterdrinker) :- zebra(Waterdrinker, _zebraowner).
+zebraOwner(zebraPuzzle, Zebraowner) :- zebra(_waterdrinker, Zebraowner).
+solved(zebraPuzzle, true) :- zebra(norwegian, japanese).

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "eyelang",
-  "version": "1.7.16",
+  "version": "2.0.0",
   "description": "A small Prolog-like logic programming language for facts, rules, goals, answers, and proofs.",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "./index.js",

package/playground.html

@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@
         <summary id="advanced-heading">⚙ Advanced configuration</summary>
         <div class="toolbar" aria-label="URL loader">
           <label for="source-url">Load Eyelang from URL</label>
-          <input id="source-url" type="url" placeholder="https://example.org/program.eye">
+          <input id="source-url" type="url" placeholder="https://example.org/program.pl">
           <button id="load-url" type="button">Load from URL</button>
         </div>
         <div class="toolbar background-row">
@@ -767,14 +767,14 @@ answer(ok) :- eq(ok, ok).
       if (!name) return;
       try {
         setStatus(`Loading ${name}…`);
-        const exampleUrl = new URL(`./examples/${name}.eye`, location.href);
+        const exampleUrl = new URL(`./examples/${name}.pl`, location.href);
         const response = await fetch(exampleUrl, { cache: 'no-store' });
         if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
-        setSource(await response.text(), `examples/${name}.eye`, { kind: 'example', name });
-        setStatus(`Loaded examples/${name}.eye.`);
+        setSource(await response.text(), `examples/${name}.pl`, { kind: 'example', name });
+        setStatus(`Loaded examples/${name}.pl.`);
       } catch (error) {
         setSource(FALLBACK_SOURCE, 'fallback program');
-        setStatus(`Could not load examples/${name}.eye: ${formatError(error)}`, true);
+        setStatus(`Could not load examples/${name}.pl: ${formatError(error)}`, true);
       }
     }
 
@@ -880,12 +880,9 @@ answer(ok) :- eq(ok, ok).
           while (j < text.length && /[\d.]/.test(text[j])) j++;
           out += span('number', text.slice(i, j));
           i = j;
-        } else if (ch === '?') {
+        } else if (/[A-Z_]/.test(ch)) {
           let j = i + 1;
-          if (/[A-Za-z_]/.test(text[j] || '')) {
-            j++;
-            while (j < text.length && /[A-Za-z0-9_]/.test(text[j])) j++;
-          }
+          while (j < text.length && /[A-Za-z0-9_]/.test(text[j])) j++;
           out += span('variable', text.slice(i, j));
           i = j;
         } else if (/[a-z]/.test(ch)) {
@@ -1111,9 +1108,9 @@ answer(ok) :- eq(ok, ok).
         setStatus('Creating GitHub Gist…');
         const files = {
           [GIST_STATE_FILENAME]: { content: stateText },
-          'program.eye': { content: source.value },
+          'program.pl': { content: source.value },
         };
-        if (backgroundSource.trim()) files['background.eye'] = { content: backgroundSource };
+        if (backgroundSource.trim()) files['background.pl'] = { content: backgroundSource };
         const response = await fetch('https://api.github.com/gists', {
           method: 'POST',
           headers: {

package/src/builtins/control.js

@@ -11,15 +11,19 @@ function* notBuiltin({ solver, goal, env }) {
   const limited = solver.cloneForInnerGoal(1);
   let found = false;
   for (const _ of limited.solve([goal.args[0]], env.clone(), 0)) { found = true; break; }
+  solver.absorbStatsFrom(limited);
   if (!found) yield env;
 }
 
 function* onceBuiltin({ solver, goal, env }) {
   const limited = solver.cloneForInnerGoal(1);
+  let first = null;
   for (const answerEnv of limited.solve([goal.args[0]], env.clone(), 0)) {
-    yield answerEnv;
+    first = answerEnv;
     break;
   }
+  solver.absorbStatsFrom(limited);
+  if (first) yield first;
 }
 
 function* forallBuiltin({ solver, goal, env }) {
@@ -28,7 +32,12 @@ function* forallBuiltin({ solver, goal, env }) {
     const checker = solver.cloneForInnerGoal(1);
     let ok = false;
     for (const _ of checker.solve([goal.args[1]], answerEnv.clone(), 0)) { ok = true; break; }
-    if (!ok) return;
+    solver.absorbStatsFrom(checker);
+    if (!ok) {
+      solver.absorbStatsFrom(generator);
+      return;
+    }
   }
+  solver.absorbStatsFrom(generator);
   yield env;
 }

package/src/cli.js

@@ -103,13 +103,12 @@ async function runDefault(engine, program, options) {
   const materializedKeys = new Set(goals.map((goal) => `${goal.name}/${goal.arity}`));
   const facts = program.sourceFactLines(materializedKeys);
   const lines = new Set();
-  let lastStats = null;
   const registry = engine.getDefaultRegistry();
   const explanation = options.proof ? await loadExplanation() : null;
+  const solver = new engine.Solver(program, { registry });
 
   for (const goal of goals) {
-    const solver = new engine.Solver(program, { registry });
-
+    solver.solutionsSeen = 0;
     for (const env of solver.solve([goal], new engine.Env(), 0)) {
       if (!engine.termIsGround(goal, env)) continue;
 
@@ -122,10 +121,9 @@ async function runDefault(engine, program, options) {
       if (options.proof) writeExplanation(explanation, program, engine.copyResolved(goal, env), registry);
     }
 
-    lastStats = solver.stats;
   }
 
-  if (options.stats && lastStats) printStats(lastStats);
+  if (options.stats) printStats(solver.stats);
 }
 
 function writeExplanation(explanation, program, resolved, registry) {
@@ -138,10 +136,10 @@ async function usage(stream) {
   stream.write(`eyelang ${await packageVersion()}
 
 Usage:
-  eyelang [options] [file-or-url.eye|- ...]
+  eyelang [options] [file-or-url.pl|- ...]
 
 Input:
-  file-or-url.eye       Read an Eyelang program from a local file or http(s) URL.
+  file-or-url.pl       Read an Eyelang program from a local file or http(s) URL.
   -                     Read an Eyelang program from standard input.
 
 Options:

package/src/parser.js

@@ -7,22 +7,6 @@ const TOK = {
   LPAREN: '(', RPAREN: ')', LBRACKET: '[', RBRACKET: ']', COMMA: ',', BAR: '|', DOT: '.', IF: ':-'
 };
 
-function isAbsoluteIriText(text) {
-  return /^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9+.-]*:[^\s<>"'{}|\\^`]*$/.test(text);
-}
-
-function hasAngleIriToken(source, pos) {
-  if (source[pos] !== '<') return false;
-  let text = '';
-  for (let i = pos + 1; i < source.length; i++) {
-    const ch = source[i];
-    if (ch === '>') return text.length > 0 && isAbsoluteIriText(text);
-    if (ch === '\n' || ch === '\r' || /\s/.test(ch) || ch === '<') return false;
-    text += ch;
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-
 function isWhitespaceCode(code) {
   return code === 32 || code === 9 || code === 10 || code === 13 || code === 12 || code === 11;
 }
@@ -40,10 +24,8 @@ function isNameContinueCode(code) {
 }
 
 
-function isQuestionVariableStart(source, pos) {
-  if (source[pos] !== '?') return false;
-  const code = (source[pos + 1] ?? '').charCodeAt(0);
-  return !source[pos + 1] || code === 95 || isAsciiLetterCode(code) || !isNameContinueCode(code);
+function isVariableStartCode(code) {
+  return code === 95 || (code >= 65 && code <= 90);
 }
 
 function isPlainAtomStartCode(code) {
@@ -113,18 +95,6 @@ class Parser {
     }
     if (ch === ':') throw new Error('colon names are not supported; use name or prefix_name');
 
-    if (hasAngleIriToken(this.source, this.pos)) {
-      this.take(); // <
-      let text = '';
-      while (true) {
-        if (!this.peek()) throw new Error(`parse line ${line}: unterminated IRI`);
-        const value = this.take();
-        if (value === '>') break;
-        text += value;
-      }
-      return { type: TOK.ATOM, text, line };
-    }
-
     if (ch === '"' || ch === "'") {
       const quote = this.take();
       let text = '';
@@ -169,10 +139,9 @@ class Parser {
       return { type: TOK.NUMBER, text: this.source.slice(start, this.pos), line };
     }
 
-    if (isQuestionVariableStart(this.source, this.pos)) {
+    if (isVariableStartCode(ch.charCodeAt(0))) {
       const start = this.pos;
-      this.take(); // ?
-      if (isNameContinueCode(this.peek().charCodeAt(0))) this.take();
+      this.take();
       while (isNameContinueCode(this.peek().charCodeAt(0))) this.take();
       const text = this.source.slice(start, this.pos);
       return { type: TOK.VAR, text, line };
@@ -258,7 +227,7 @@ class Parser {
     if (this.token.type === TOK.VAR) {
       const name = this.token.text;
       this.advance();
-      if (name === '?') return variable(`__anon${this.anonymous++}`);
+      if (name === '_') return variable(`__anon${this.anonymous++}`);
       return variable(name);
     }
     if (this.token.type === TOK.STRING) {
@@ -346,7 +315,7 @@ function isSimpleName(text) {
 const SIMPLE_NUMBER = /^-?\d+(?:\.\d+)?(?:[eE][+-]?\d+)?$/;
 const FAST_BINARY_FACT = /^([a-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\(\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*,\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*\)\.$/;
 const FAST_BINARY_RULE = /^([a-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\(\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*,\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*\)\s*:-\s*([a-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\(\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*,\s*([^,\s()[\]|"']+)\s*\)\.$/;
-const SIMPLE_VARIABLE = /^\?(?:[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)?$/;
+const SIMPLE_VARIABLE = /^(?:_|[A-Z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)$/;
 const SIMPLE_ATOM = /^[a-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*$/;
 const GRAPHIC_ATOM = /^[#$&*+\-\/<=>@^~\\]+$/;
 
@@ -370,7 +339,7 @@ function parseClausesFastNoSource(source) {
   const scalarOrVariableFast = (text) => {
     if (!text || !isFastScalarToken(text)) throw new Error('bad simple term');
     const first = text.charCodeAt(0);
-    if (text === '?') return variable(`__anon${anonymous++}`);
+    if (text === '_') return variable(`__anon${anonymous++}`);
     if (SIMPLE_VARIABLE.test(text)) {
       const existing = variableCache.get(text);
       if (existing) return existing;