4 ms·

Got into Jai closed beta on March 2026

So recently, I got into Jai's closed beta, and ever since then, I have been programming and more and more in that language. So much so that it brought me back to systems programming. I am a game developer, so of course, I had to make a game using it. By the way, I used this module of Jai called "Bindings_Generator" to generate the best quality bindings for Raylib and have been currently using that to make my next Steam release. I don't think I can ever go back to Game Engines now, which is ironic as I left libraries for Game Engines back in the days, but Jai brought me back.

hmokiguess 6mo ago
what is Jai? I never heard of it
- demonkingswarn 6mo ago
  A systems programming language by Jonathan Blow made for game development. still in closed beta though
gus_massa 6mo ago
Are you the owner of Jai? People here is more friendly when the author reply to the technical questions.
- demonkingswarn 6mo ago
  no, i am not jonathan blow xD
  - gus_massa 6mo ago
    Do you have a link to Jai? Do you have some screenshots or a short video of your game?
    - demonkingswarn 6mo ago
      I can't share the compiler with you, but you can email JBlow. That's what I did and actually got access to Jai. The mail is language@thekla.com also I just started working on this game, so I will share its updates when I have something cool to share. Right now, it's just grayboxing. I will definitely share the progress on my Twitter: @DemonKingSwarn.
      - gus_massa 6mo ago
        I went to http://thekla.com/ http://thekla.com/ [No https version.] It looks nice and it remind me of Myst [1]. Where does he say that it's possible to enter the "cosed beta"? I guess nowhere because it's closed :) Your Tweeter profile is empty, but there is someone with the same handler in YouTube. It has some videos about game development. Is it yours? My suggestion is to make a new post in HN with the link to http://thekla.com/ http://thekla.com/ and a title like "The Witness: Explore an abandoned island" (copied from their "media" page). Then wait 5 minutess and add a comment with your story. For example, what you typed at the top here is fine. Perhaps add a link to Raylib and Odin, whatever they are. Sometimes a link to the blog get more traction. He has a few long technical posts. Which is your favorite? [1] Do I have to have to add a link for Myst? It used to come in CD, I feel old. Just in case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst
        demonkingswarn 6mo ago
        What do you mean, my twitter is empty? You might have had a typo there. This is my Twitter: https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn. Also, you have to email him to get into the closed beta, that's what I did, and he actually accepted it even though i wasnt expecting it to actually be accepted xD DM me on twitter if you would like me to send you the email where you have to ask to get into closed beta
        gus_massa 6mo ago
        If I go to https://xcancel.com/DemonKingSwarn https://xcancel.com/DemonKingSwarn I see the posts. The first one says: "Oh hey welcome, you must be wondering who I am. Who am I? [...]" But if I go to https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn I see and empty profile. It says "2086 posts" at the top, but at the bottom it says "@DemonKingSwarn no ha posteado". Probably because I'm not logged in. [Hi from Argentina!] --- I'm not doing game development now, so I'm not going to ask to enter the beta. Anyway, the game looks nice and some of the technical post may generate a nice discussion in HN.
dadhi 6mo ago
Congrats on beta access. Any thoughts on jai features, recent changes, what are you using/liking the most, what is missing for you?
- demonkingswarn 6mo ago
  Honestly, I am not missing much from other languages. Plus, that Bindings_Generator is the best deterministic way to generate bindings. I used it to generate a high-quality binding for raylib, and damn, now my game works on all platforms raylib supports. It really is making me have a lot of fun while programming my new game. Anyway, you can try Odin, it's a lot similar to Jai, minus the metaprogramming. But it does come with raylib ootb. Both Odin and Jai are a lot similar to philosophy and syntax, so you can try that while Jai is in closed-beta, or just mail J Blow at language@thekla.com to get access in Jai by mentioning why you want to be in the closed-beta.

hmokiguess 6mo ago

what is Jai? I never heard of it

demonkingswarn 6mo ago
A systems programming language by Jonathan Blow made for game development. still in closed beta though

gus_massa 6mo ago

Are you the owner of Jai? People here is more friendly when the author reply to the technical questions.

demonkingswarn 6mo ago
no, i am not jonathan blow xD
- gus_massa 6mo ago
  Do you have a link to Jai? Do you have some screenshots or a short video of your game?
  - demonkingswarn 6mo ago
    I can't share the compiler with you, but you can email JBlow. That's what I did and actually got access to Jai. The mail is language@thekla.com also I just started working on this game, so I will share its updates when I have something cool to share. Right now, it's just grayboxing. I will definitely share the progress on my Twitter: @DemonKingSwarn.
    - gus_massa 6mo ago
      I went to http://thekla.com/ http://thekla.com/ [No https version.] It looks nice and it remind me of Myst [1]. Where does he say that it's possible to enter the "cosed beta"? I guess nowhere because it's closed :) Your Tweeter profile is empty, but there is someone with the same handler in YouTube. It has some videos about game development. Is it yours? My suggestion is to make a new post in HN with the link to http://thekla.com/ http://thekla.com/ and a title like "The Witness: Explore an abandoned island" (copied from their "media" page). Then wait 5 minutess and add a comment with your story. For example, what you typed at the top here is fine. Perhaps add a link to Raylib and Odin, whatever they are. Sometimes a link to the blog get more traction. He has a few long technical posts. Which is your favorite? [1] Do I have to have to add a link for Myst? It used to come in CD, I feel old. Just in case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst
      - demonkingswarn 6mo ago
        What do you mean, my twitter is empty? You might have had a typo there. This is my Twitter: https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn. Also, you have to email him to get into the closed beta, that's what I did, and he actually accepted it even though i wasnt expecting it to actually be accepted xD DM me on twitter if you would like me to send you the email where you have to ask to get into closed beta
        gus_massa 6mo ago
        If I go to https://xcancel.com/DemonKingSwarn https://xcancel.com/DemonKingSwarn I see the posts. The first one says: "Oh hey welcome, you must be wondering who I am. Who am I? [...]" But if I go to https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn https://x.com/DemonKingSwarn I see and empty profile. It says "2086 posts" at the top, but at the bottom it says "@DemonKingSwarn no ha posteado". Probably because I'm not logged in. [Hi from Argentina!] --- I'm not doing game development now, so I'm not going to ask to enter the beta. Anyway, the game looks nice and some of the technical post may generate a nice discussion in HN.

dadhi 6mo ago

Congrats on beta access. Any thoughts on jai features, recent changes, what are you using/liking the most, what is missing for you?

demonkingswarn 6mo ago
Honestly, I am not missing much from other languages. Plus, that Bindings_Generator is the best deterministic way to generate bindings. I used it to generate a high-quality binding for raylib, and damn, now my game works on all platforms raylib supports. It really is making me have a lot of fun while programming my new game. Anyway, you can try Odin, it's a lot similar to Jai, minus the metaprogramming. But it does come with raylib ootb. Both Odin and Jai are a lot similar to philosophy and syntax, so you can try that while Jai is in closed-beta, or just mail J Blow at language@thekla.com to get access in Jai by mentioning why you want to be in the closed-beta.