Documentation Io.File.reader

[isaias-dias-machado]

Hi, I am completely new to zig and wanted to
give feedback on the documentation.

I was trying to figure out how to read a file so I went over to the documentation and quickly found Io.File and the reader function, the experience was great.

But this function has a parameter io with type Io, so I followed the link into the Io type but I couldn’t find anywhere how to get a value of this type. Same thing for the File value, I could not find how to open a file.

I ended up asking an LLM and it pointed me to the code samples, but imo the API documentation should have me covered.

PS: I am not sure if this is the appropriate category.

[vulpesx]

There are community docs on this site that are kept fairly up to date, these are relevant topics:

std.Io overview

I feel like this is too long! what details do you think would be better in a different post? or do you think the focus of this one should change? perhaps this should not go into any details and just link to other posts for e.g async/concurrency? With 0.16 just released with the std.Io interface. It is bound to change (this will be updated with it) in the future as more people use it and find where it is lacking, many areas are already known. It is only in a “good enough to be used for most …

File I/O basics (0.16)

(Note, this is a variation on this article, invited into docs with the release of 0.16.) As always, reply/comment all you want, and I’ll endeavor to make changes accordingly. Motivation, and migration Zig 0.16 brought big changes to I/O. std.fs references deprecate everywhere, and understanding basic use of std.Io is in order. Zig’s new I/O model brings I/O into alignment with the Allocator model - all of Zig’s “file system, networking, timers, synchronization, and pretty much everything that …

The Io docs could certainly link to std.process.Init and the available Io implementations, that would be an easy first contribution.

[isaias-dias-machado]

I would be happy to help patch these kinds of gaps in the documentation if you think it is relevant. Something like “File handles are typically obtained through Io.Dir” in the Io.File struct section could really save time and frustration to new comers.