# Zig

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q51885456](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51885456)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_(programming_language))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/zig

## Summary
Zig is a general-purpose, systems programming language designed for robustness, clarity, and performance. Created by Andrew Kelley in 2015, it supports multiple paradigms, including imperative, procedural, and functional programming, and is compiled to machine code.

## Key Facts
- **Creator**: Developed by Andrew Kelley, a computer programmer.
- **Inception**: First commit in 2015, publicly announced on February 8, 2016.
- **License**: Released under the MIT License.
- **Paradigms**: Supports imperative, procedural, functional, and generic programming.
- **Typing Discipline**: Features static, strong, and inference typing, along with structural typing.
- **Versions**: Notable releases include 0.1.0 (2017), 0.3.0 (2018), 0.6.0 (2020), and 0.8.0 (2021).
- **File Extensions**: Uses `.zig` for source code and `.zon` for build files.
- **Mascots**: Zero the Ziguana, Ziggy the Ziguana, and Carmen the Allocgator.
- **Influences**: Inspired by C, Go, and other systems programming languages.

## FAQs
### Q: Who created Zig?
A: Zig was created by Andrew Kelley, a computer programmer, with the first commit in 2015.

### Q: What is Zig used for?
A: Zig is a systems programming language designed for writing low-level, high-performance software, such as operating systems, embedded systems, and compilers.

### Q: Is Zig compiled or interpreted?
A: Zig is a compiled language, meaning its source code is translated into machine code before execution.

### Q: What are the key features of Zig?
A: Zig emphasizes simplicity, explicitness, and memory safety, with features like manual memory management, compile-time code execution, and no hidden control flow.

### Q: How does Zig compare to C?
A: Zig is designed as a modern alternative to C, offering better memory safety, clearer syntax, and built-in tools for debugging and optimization while maintaining C’s performance.

## Why It Matters
Zig addresses long-standing issues in systems programming, such as memory safety and unclear behavior, by providing a language that is both powerful and explicit. Its design prioritizes debugging and maintainability, making it easier to write reliable low-level code. As a multi-paradigm language, Zig offers flexibility while avoiding the complexity of older languages like C++. Its growing ecosystem, including projects like the Kiesel JavaScript engine, demonstrates its potential to influence modern software development. For developers frustrated with the limitations of C or the complexity of C++, Zig presents a compelling alternative that balances performance with usability.

## Notable For
- **Memory Safety**: Zig provides explicit memory management tools, reducing common bugs like buffer overflows.
- **No Hidden Control Flow**: Unlike C, Zig avoids implicit behaviors, making code easier to debug and reason about.
- **Compile-Time Execution**: Zig allows code to run at compile time, enabling advanced metaprogramming and optimizations.
- **Cross-Platform Support**: Zig compiles to multiple targets, including ELF, COFF, Mach-O, and WebAssembly.
- **Minimalist Design**: The language avoids unnecessary features, focusing on clarity and direct control over hardware.

## Body
### Overview
Zig is a systems programming language created by Andrew Kelley in 2015. It is designed to be a modern alternative to C, offering better memory safety, clearer syntax, and built-in debugging tools. Zig is statically typed, compiled, and supports multiple programming paradigms, including imperative, procedural, and functional styles.

### Development and Releases
- **Inception**: The first commit to the Zig repository was made on August 5, 2015.
- **Public Announcement**: Zig was publicly introduced on February 8, 2016.
- **Version History**:
  - **0.1.0**: Released on October 17, 2017.
  - **0.2.0**: Released on March 15, 2018.
  - **0.3.0**: Released on September 28, 2018.
  - **0.4.0**: Released on April 8-9, 2019.
  - **0.5.0**: Released on September 30-October 1, 2019.
  - **0.6.0**: Released on April 13, 2020.
  - **0.7.0**: Released on November 8, 2020.
  - **0.8.0**: Released on June 4, 2021.

### Features
- **Typing Discipline**: Zig uses static, strong, and inference typing, along with structural typing.
- **Memory Management**: Zig provides explicit memory management, avoiding hidden allocations and making memory usage predictable.
- **Compile-Time Execution**: Zig allows code to be executed at compile time, enabling advanced optimizations and metaprogramming.
- **Error Handling**: Zig uses explicit error handling, avoiding exceptions and making error paths clear.
- **Cross-Platform Support**: Zig can compile to multiple targets, including ELF, COFF, Mach-O, and WebAssembly.

### Community and Ecosystem
- **Mascots**: Zig has three mascots: Zero the Ziguana, Ziggy the Ziguana, and Carmen the Allocgator.
- **Community**: Zig has an active community on platforms like Reddit (r/Zig), IRC (#zig on Libera Chat), and Lemmy (zig@programming.dev).
- **Projects**: Notable projects written in Zig include the Kiesel JavaScript engine, which was first committed on April 28, 2023.

### Influences
Zig is influenced by several programming languages, including C, Go, and other systems programming languages. It aims to improve upon the limitations of these languages while maintaining their performance and low-level control.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Zig",
  "description": "A general-purpose, systems programming language designed for robustness, clarity, and performance.",
  "url": "https://ziglang.org/",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28842820", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_(programming_language)"],
  "additionalType": "ProgrammingLanguage",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Andrew Kelley"
  },
  "dateCreated": "2015",
  "license": "MIT License",
  "programmingLanguage": {
    "@type": "ComputerLanguage",
    "name": "Zig",
    "paradigm": ["imperative programming", "procedural programming", "functional programming", "generic programming"],
    "typingDiscipline": ["static typing", "strong typing", "inference typing", "structural typing"]
  }
}

## References

1. [Release 0.3.0](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.3.0)
2. [Release 0.1.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.1.0)
3. [Release 0.1.1](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.1.1)
4. [Releases](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.1.1)
5. [Release 0.2.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.2.0)
6. [Release 0.4.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.4.0)
7. [Releases](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.4.0)
8. [Release 0.5.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.5.0)
9. [Releases](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.5.0)
10. [Release 0.6.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.6.0)
11. [Source](https://ziglang.org/download/0.7.0/release-notes.html)
12. [Release v0.7.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.7.0)
13. [Source](https://ziglang.org/download/0.7.1/release-notes.html)
14. [Source](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.7.1)
15. [0.8.0 Release Notes](https://ziglang.org/download/0.8.0/release-notes.html)
16. [Release 0.8.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.8.0)
17. [0.8.1 Release Notes](https://ziglang.org/download/0.8.1/release-notes.html)
18. [Release 0.8.1](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.8.1)
19. [Release 0.9.0](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.9.0)
20. [Release 0.9.1](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.9.1)
21. [Release 0.10.0](https://ziglang.org/download/0.10.0/release-notes.html)
22. [Release 0.10.1](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.10.1)
23. [Release 0.11.0](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.11.0)
24. [Release 0.12.0](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.12.0)
25. [Release 0.13.0](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.13.0)
26. [Release 0.14.0](https://ziglang.org/download/#release-0.14.0)
27. [Release 0.14.1](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.14.1)
28. [Release 0.15.1](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.15.1)
29. [Release 0.15.2](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/releases/tag/0.15.2)
30. [init. 2015](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/commit/8e08cf4bec80b87a7a22a18086a3db5c2c0f1772)
31. [Community](https://github.com/ziglang/zig/wiki/Community)
32. [Introduction to the Zig Programming Language. 2016](https://andrewkelley.me/post/intro-to-zig.html)