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It says it's a C frontend for `zig translate-c` which translates C code to Zig code. `zig translate-c` is not required for most Zig projects or even for most Zi

It says it's a C frontend for `zig translate-c` which translates C code to Zig code. `zig translate-c` is not required for most Zig projects or even for most Zig projects that interop with C.

slowmovintarget 2y ago
Thank you. I also started reading through the Zig overview [1] and near the end of that document it says this: "Not only can Zig compile C code, but there is a very good reason to use Zig as a C compiler: Zig ships with libc." From the doc, IIUC, compilation of header files and other C code allows Zig to do direct interop with no intermediaries. Seems useful. [1] https://ziglang.org/learn/overview/ https://ziglang.org/learn/overview/
- 3836293648 2y ago
  That's just wrapping clang. They're working on replacing it
Laremere 2y ago
translate-c is not required for compiling pure Zig code. However, the plan is to remove the "@cImport" built in. So if your project is importing a c header, in the future you'll add build step translating it from c to Zig, and then you import it into your Zig code as a module.
- fuzztester 2y ago
  what is the reason for this change? zig less than newbie here. I've only just recently started reading the zig overview, although I have been reading hn posts about zig with interest for some time.
  - Laremere 2y ago
    Primary reason is that it removes a dependency on libclang, and as such is required to remove the LLVM dependency.
- 6keZbCECT2uB 2y ago
  How does this work with things which are expressible only in C? For example, Pascal strings with flexible array members? I guess since you said header, you keep everything opaque and create a header for that which gets translated to Zig.
- girvo 2y ago
  It's super exciting. c2nim is one of the things that makes using Nim in _super_ odd places (like professional embedded firmware development) feasible, and translate-c brings Zig that much closer to what I'd love from it! Embedded Zig is going to be rad, once we get there.

It says it's a C frontend for `zig translate-c` which translates C code to Zig code. `zig translate-c` is not required for most Zig projects or even for most Zig projects that interop with C.

slowmovintarget 2y ago

Thank you. I also started reading through the Zig overview [1] and near the end of that document it says this: "Not only can Zig compile C code, but there is a very good reason to use Zig as a C compiler: Zig ships with libc." From the doc, IIUC, compilation of header files and other C code allows Zig to do direct interop with no intermediaries. Seems useful. [1] https://ziglang.org/learn/overview/ https://ziglang.org/learn/overview/

3836293648 2y ago
That's just wrapping clang. They're working on replacing it

Laremere 2y ago

translate-c is not required for compiling pure Zig code. However, the plan is to remove the "@cImport" built in. So if your project is importing a c header, in the future you'll add build step translating it from c to Zig, and then you import it into your Zig code as a module.

fuzztester 2y ago
what is the reason for this change? zig less than newbie here. I've only just recently started reading the zig overview, although I have been reading hn posts about zig with interest for some time.
- Laremere 2y ago
  Primary reason is that it removes a dependency on libclang, and as such is required to remove the LLVM dependency.
6keZbCECT2uB 2y ago
How does this work with things which are expressible only in C? For example, Pascal strings with flexible array members? I guess since you said header, you keep everything opaque and create a header for that which gets translated to Zig.
girvo 2y ago
It's super exciting. c2nim is one of the things that makes using Nim in _super_ odd places (like professional embedded firmware development) feasible, and translate-c brings Zig that much closer to what I'd love from it! Embedded Zig is going to be rad, once we get there.