C3C Programming Language and Compiler

Several language features were introduced or modified in recent versions:

• Generic Syntax (v0.6.8): Use --enable-new-generics to enable Foo{int} syntax.
• Short Function Syntax (v0.6.7): Supports fn int test() => @pool() { return 1; }.
• Compile-time Array Operations (v0.6.7): Supports compile-time array assignment, increment/decrement, and assignment operators (e.g., $c[1] += 3).
• Array Initialization (v0.6.7): Supports cast-style initialization like (int[*]) { 1, 2 } and +++ on all array types.
• Contracts (v0.6.7): @require and @ensure contracts are no longer treated as conditionals; they must explicitly evaluate to a bool.
• Deprecations (v0.6.8): The {| |} expression blocks are deprecated. The @operator(construct) macro is also deprecated.

In version 0.7.2, new options were added to control where executables run and where header files are generated:

• --run-dir: Specify the directory for running the executable when using compile-run or run commands.
• header-output: A project.json option to control the header output folder.
• --header-output: A CLI flag to control the header output folder.
• run-dir: A project.json option to specify the directory for running the executable.
• quiet: A project.json option to enable quiet mode.

In version 0.6.6, you can pass arguments directly to @test or @benchmark runners by using the -- separator. This allows you to pass flags and options to the underlying test runner.

Example:

c3c test[benchmark] -- -o --opt1 <arg1>

Version 0.7.0 introduced significant renaming in the standard library. If you are upgrading from a version prior to 0.7.0, update your calls as follows:

As of version 0.6.8, c3c uses the following default directory structures for build artifacts:

• Object files: /.build/obj/<platform>
• LLVM assembly: llvm/<platform>
• Assembly files: asm/<platform>

When contributing to the C source code of c3c, follow these naming rules:

• Constants: UPPER_SNAKE_CASE (e.g., THIS_IS_A_CONSTANT)
• Macros: UPPER_SNAKE_CASE (e.g., MY_MACRO(123))
• User-defined types: CapitalizedCamelCase (e.g., MyLittleType)
• Function names: snake_case (e.g., my_little_function(123))
• Variables: snake_case (e.g., context)

Object-oriented pattern: Functions acting on a specific type should be prefixed with that type name in snake case (e.g., type_info_new instead of new_type_info).

Version 0.7.0 changed the syntax for several control flow structures. Replace the old syntax with the new trailing colon format:

• $foreach: Use $foreach $x, $y : $foo: instead of $foreach ($x, $y) : $foo.
• $for: Use $for var $x = 0; $x < FOO; $x++: instead of $for ($x = 0; $x < FOO; $x++).
• $switch: Use $switch $Type: instead of $switch ($Type).

C3 supports defer statements to ensure code runs at the end of a scope. Version 0.5.0 added:

• defer catch: For deferred error handling.
• defer try: For deferred try-based handling.