03.21.24 :: i learned about zig just a few days ago, but here i am…

with 40+ years of experience programming deeply-embedded, resource-constrained MCUs (in C, of course), finding a “higher-level” language without “higher-levels” of performance overhead has been a lifetime quest.

to that end, i’ve spent the past 15 years developing a novel programming language named EM – used in a number of high-volume commercial applications where every cent of cost and μJoule of energy mattered…

about a year ago, i started down the path of “opening-up” EM to the world – and in doing so, i learned about zig just a few days ago…

but programming languages should not (IMHO) be ends unto themselves; rather, they are a means to develop working software – which in my world is firmware running on MCUs with often less than 32K of memory…

at this time, i’m trying to learn everything i can about zig – seeing how language constructs central to EM could be realized through disciplined use of zig… the process itself essentially involves “zigify-ing” existing code written in EM…

zig has many features that are central to EM – comptime being one of the most critical… zig clearly has a community behind it, while EM has just been made public late last year…

as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them… zig•em