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Zuhaitz-dev/zenc-lang

Zen C is a systems language with high-level ergonomics that compiles to readable GNU C11 and runs with C-level performance.

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What is it?

Zen C is a systems programming language that transpiles to human-readable GNU C / C11. It adds type inference, pattern matching, generics, traits, async/await, and manual memory management with RAII-style cleanup, while keeping C ABI compatibility so existing C libraries can be called directly.

The toolchain includes the zc compiler with run and build commands, a REPL built on in-process JIT compilation via LibTCC, and a language server supporting go-to-definition, completion, hover, and diagnostics over JSON-RPC. The project also ships a standard library covering vectors, maps, strings, networking, JSON, threads, and regex, plus a built-in test framework with `test` blocks.

Beyond the C backend, the compiler can emit C++, CUDA, Objective-C, Common Lisp, and JSON AST output. It builds on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and can be compiled as a portable APE binary via Cosmopolitan Libc.

Key features

  • 01Transpiles to readable GNU C11 code with C ABI compatibility.
  • 02Provides type inference, pattern matching, generics, traits, and async/await.
  • 03Includes a REPL with in-process JIT execution and a language server for editors.
  • 04Ships a standard library with collections, networking, JSON, threads, and regex.
  • 05Offers a built-in test framework with per-test isolation.

Use cases

  • Writing systems code that needs C-level performance with a more ergonomic syntax.
  • Incrementally adopting a new language alongside an existing C codebase.
  • Experimenting with language features through the REPL.
  • Generating C++ or CUDA code from Zen C sources.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/zenc-lang/zenc.git
  2. 2

    Enter the project directory

    cd zenc
  3. 3

    Build the compiler

    make
  4. 4

    Install it system-wide

    sudo make install

Things to know

  • The README does not state a stable release, and the project is in active development.
  • Windows support is documented only for x86_64 via MinGW, and the Windows build uses a batch script.

In collections

Compilers, transpilers & programming languages

Topics

#programming-languages#compiler#transpiler#lsp#repl#open-source#zen-c

FAQ

What is zenc-lang?
Zen C is a systems language with high-level ergonomics that compiles to readable GNU C11 and runs with C-level performance. Zen C is a systems programming language that transpiles to human-readable GNU C / C11. It adds type inference, pattern matching, generics, traits, async/await, and manual memory management with RAII-style cleanup, while keeping C ABI compatibility so existing C libraries can be called directly.
Is zenc-lang free to use? What license does it have?
zenc-lang is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is zenc-lang still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to zenc-lang was on Oct 26, 2026.
What can I use zenc-lang for?
Writing systems code that needs C-level performance with a more ergonomic syntax. Incrementally adopting a new language alongside an existing C codebase. Experimenting with language features through the REPL. Generating C++ or CUDA code from Zen C sources.
How do I install zenc-lang?
Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/zenc-lang/zenc.git Enter the project directory: cd zenc Build the compiler: make Install it system-wide: sudo make install
Where can I get zenc-lang?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/Zuhaitz-dev/zenc-lang

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