_c — a minimal language that transpiles to C

_c is a tiny language designed to write simple, linear, and readable code.
The translator converts . _c files into standard C, then compiles them with gcc.

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⚙️ Installation

Clone the repo and make the scripts executable:

chmod +x _c _cc

Run a . _c file:

./_cc test._c

This generates test.c, test (the binary), and runs it.

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🌍 Global installation

You can install _c and _cc globally by creating symlinks in /usr/local/bin:

sudo ln -s /path/to/project/_c  /usr/local/bin/_c
sudo ln -s /path/to/project/_cc /usr/local/bin/_cc

Now you can run _cc file._c anywhere on your system.

💡 Tip: If you use Midnight Commander (mc), you can quickly create symlinks with
Ctrl + x s (while inside /usr/local/bin).

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📝 Basic types

• i8, i16, i32, i64 → signed integers

• u8, u16, u32, u64 → unsigned integers

• f32, f64 → float/double

• $ name → string (char *) managed with malloc/free

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🔹 Declarations

i32 i = 0
$ name = "hello"
$ copy = name          # dynamic clone
copy += " world"       # concatenation
free copy
free name

Generated C:

i32 i = 0;
char *name = malloc(strlen("hello")+1);
strcpy(name, "hello");
char *copy = malloc(strlen(name)+1);
strcpy(copy, name);
copy = realloc(copy, strlen(copy)+strlen(" world")+1);
strcat(copy, " world");
free(copy);
free(name);

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🔹 Input

$ name = ?

or:

? name

• If IN == stdin → reads one line (buffer size 1024).

• If IN != stdin → reads the entire stream until EOF.
  The string is dynamically allocated.

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🔹 Output

. "hello %s %d\n", name, i

Alias for fprintf(OUT, ...).
Default OUT = stdout.

You can also use the alias:

print "hello %s %d\n", name, i

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🔹 I/O streams

Redirecting input/output:

out "file.txt"     # append mode
print "hello\n"
out stdout         # back to terminal

in "file.txt"
$ line = ?
print "read: %s\n", line
free line
in stdin

in "https://example.com"   # fetched via curl
? page
print "page:\n%$\n", page
free page

Supported protocols: http, https, ftp, ftps
(via curl -s).

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🔹 Functions

Definition:

: i32 sum(i32 a, i32 b)
a + b;

Void function:

: void greet($ name)
print "hello %$\n", name
;

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🔹 Control blocks

if (i < 10)
  print "smaller\n"
else
  print "greater\n"
end

while (i < 5)
  print "loop %d\n", i
  i++
end

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🔹 Minimal program

File hello._c:

: i32 main()
print "hello from my language!\n"
0;

Compile & run:

./_cc hello._c

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✨ Features

• Minimal syntax, inspired by BASIC and Forth but linear

• Simple string handling with $

• Input/Output based on streams (IN, OUT)

• If input comes from stdin → reads a line, otherwise → reads the full stream

• Automatic URL/FTP support via curl

• Translates into standard C → portable everywhere

• Functions, if/else, while, and strict types

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📜 License

MIT