Anytype is getting renamed to anyval (!)

InspectorBoat · April 22, 2026, 9:25pm

Rename `anytype` to `anyval`

opened 06:00AM - 17 Jul 20 UTC

contributor friendly proposal accepted

Sorry, this is kind of nitpicking, but it's been bothering me. The value of a… variable of type `anyerror` is some error. The value of a variable of type `anyframe` is some frame. The value of a variable of type `anytype` is usually not a type. Said another way, A variable that holds some unknown error is an `anyerror`. A variable that holds some unknown frame is an `anyframe`. A variable that holds some unknown type is a `type`. A variable that holds some unknown value is an `anytype`? `var` was a bad name because it was overloaded with the mutability specifier. But aside from that, IMO it was an ok name. I don't think we should restore it but I think `anytype` is also confusing. `any` might be a good choice except that it is a common enough variable or function name that the language probably shouldn't reserve it. `infer` was suggested previously, but doesn't convey that the type can change over the variable's lifetime. Maybe `anyvalue`, `anyval`, or `vartype` would be better?

THIS IS NOT A DRILL
anygate coming in 0.17.0, to a Zig near you!

Kass · April 22, 2026, 9:32pm

Anytype is getting

OMG OMG OMG It’s finally happening!!

renamed

…..Oh.

charlie · April 22, 2026, 9:33pm

anytime… now

InspectorBoat · April 22, 2026, 9:33pm

You thought you were getting infer T, but it was me, anyval!

npc1054657282 · April 22, 2026, 9:35pm

Recently, Zig has really been undergoing some profound changes. The removal of the result location pointer also surprised me.

kj4tmp · April 22, 2026, 10:29pm

Don’t worry, automatic migration via zig fmt will save us all!