Developer Voices

Zig as a Multi-OS Build System (with Loris Cro)

11 snips
Jul 17, 2024
Loris Cro from the ZigLang team discusses how Zig can compile C across different architectures, benefiting languages like Python and Rust. They explore improving build processes, dependencies, and Python as an interface to C libraries. Zig's role as a multi-OS build system and its interoperability with C are highlighted, along with creating a static Python interpreter with Zig and using Zig for static site generation.
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INSIGHT

Python's C Dependence

  • Python democratized access to C libraries, letting non-C programmers use them.
  • Popular libraries like TensorFlow and NumPy rely heavily on C.
ANECDOTE

Python Wheels Improved C Library Handling

  • Chris Jenkins recalls struggling with C libraries in early Python, unlike JavaScript or brew.
  • Python wheels improved this by pre-building binaries, shifting the burden to developers.
ADVICE

Zig Simplifies Cross-Compilation

  • Zig helps by bundling libcs, avoiding system-wide settings.
  • Package authors can use Zig for cross-compilation, simplifying wheel creation.
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