ZLang Compiler v0.12 🚀

ZLang – Minimalist programming language and compiler written in Python. Produces a single-file executable (z.exe) with no dependencies and cross-platform support. Ideal for learning, experimentation, and rapid prototyping.

Keywords: ZLang, programming language, compiler, Python, single-file executable, interpreter, minimalist, cross-platform.

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⚡ ZLang Installation & Quick Start

For Users

1. Download: z.exe (single file, no installation needed)
2. Setup: Run z.exe or double-click to install to PATH
3. Compile: z program.z → creates program.exe

# Quick commands
z.exe               # Run compiler
z -v                # Check version
z hello.z           # Compile to hello.exe
z program.z -f c     # Generate C source code
z --help            # Show all commands

For Developers

# Build compiler from source
python -m PyInstaller --onefile --name=z --console --clean main.py

# Test
./z
z test.z

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🔧 ZLang Compiler Usage

Compilation Commands

# Default: compile to executable
z program.z                    # → program.exe
z program.z -o myapp.exe       # → custom executable

# Generate C source code
z program.z -f c               # → program.c
z program.z -f c -o output.c   # → output.c

# Specify compiler
z program.z -c gcc             # Use GCC
z program.z -c clang           # Use Clang (default)

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✨ ZLang Features

Core Features

• ✅ Single-file executable (z.exe)
• ✅ No external dependencies
• ✅ Cross-platform: Windows, Linux, macOS
• ✅ Module system with IMPORT statements
• ✅ Automatic C compiler detection

Robustness & Security

• ✅ Path traversal protection
• ✅ Memory-safe operations and cleanup
• ✅ Race condition prevention in update mechanism
• ✅ Input validation and UTF-8 enforcement

User Experience

• ✅ Colored terminal output
• ✅ Clear progress indicators
• ✅ Helpful error messages with file/line context
• ✅ Performance timing reports
• ✅ Comprehensive error codes

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📘 ZLang Programming Language Overview

ZLang is a procedural programming language with modern control flow and explicit instructions like LET, ADD, SUB, PRINT.

Quick Example – Fibonacci

FN fibonacci(int n) -> int:
    IF n <= 1:
        RET n
    LET int a 0
    LET int b 1
    LET int fib 0
    FOR i 2..n:
        ADD a b fib
        LET a b
        LET b fib
    RET b

FN main():
    LET int count 10
    CALL fibonacci(count) -> result
    PRINT result

Output:

55

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🧠 ZLang Language Features

Variables & Data Types

• int, float, double, bool, string
• Mutable (MOV) and immutable (CONST)
• Pointer support: PTR int ptr x
• Arrays: fixed-size, dynamic, and empty

Arithmetic Operations

• ADD, SUB, MUL, DIV, MOD
• INC, DEC

Control Flow

• Functions: FN name(params): ... RET value
• Calls: CALL func(args) -> result
• Conditionals: IF, ELIF, ELSE
• Loops: FOR, WHILE

I/O

• IMPORT "file.z"
• PRINT, PRINTSTR
• READ (with type and prompt)
• ERROR "message"

Compiler Optimizations

• Constant folding
• Precompiled regexes
• Identifier caching
• Smart code generation

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🧩 Architecture

File	Purpose
main.py	CLI & entry point
setup_update.py	PATH installation & updates
lexer.py	Tokenizes .z source code
optimizer.py	Constant folding & optimization
codegen.py	Generates C code
errors.py	Error handling & codes
semantics.py	Semantic analysis & validation

Compilation pipeline:

.z source → lexer → optimizer → codegen → C code → [C compiler] → executable

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🛠️ Requirements

• Windows: MSVC, MinGW-w64, or Clang
• Linux/macOS: GCC or Clang
• Python only needed for building compiler (z.exe)

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📋 Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for full version history.

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⭐ Boosting ZLang

If you like ZLang, please:

• ⭐ Star the repo
• 🍴 Fork & contribute
• 📢 Share with friends and communities

Your support helps make ZLang better! 🚀