Zig: A programming language designed for robustness, optimality, and clarity –  Andrew Kelley

Andrew Kelley introduces Zig, explaining its design goals of robustness, optimality, and clarity, along with its C interoperability and explicit memory allocation.

Zig – a programming language designed for robustness, optimality, and clarity – Andrew Kelley, March 20th, 2018 Localhost is a series of monthly technical talks in NYC, open to the public, and given by members of the Recurse Center community. Go to recurse.com/localhost for more info. Abstract: Zig is an LLVM frontend, taking advantage of libclang to automatically import .h files (including macros and inline functions). Zig uses its own linker (LLD) combined with lazily building compiler-rt to provide out-of-the-box cross-compiling for all supported targets. Zig is intended to replace C. It provides high level features such as generics, compile time function execution, and partial evaluation, yet exposes low level LLVM IR features such as aliases. The Zig project believes that software can and should be perfect. Let the Zig Zen guide your spirit down the most optimal path. Bio: Andrew is an open source programmer, interested in electronic music production and video game development. In the Fall 2013 batch he worked on a music player server and a 3D spaceship flight simulator. Andrew is a backend engineer at OkCupid, and working on open source software nights and weekends. About RC: The Recurse Center runs educational programming retreats in New York City. The retreats are free, self-directed, project based, and for anyone who wants to get dramatically better at programming. Learn more at recurse.com.