zigler

# Zig versions

## 0.1.0

- zig compilation and automatic nif generation
- safety checks on ingress and egress data
- documentation of zig code through ExDoc
- unit test integration

## 0.1.1

Thanks to Dave Cottlehuber @dch for testing.

- freebsd tested and unsupported Logger error removed.
- zig documentation is now correctly linked.

## 0.1.2

- updated documentation for `mix zig_doc`
- fixed compilation so that importing zig stdlib doesn't error
- added better compilation failures for bad types in args and retvals
- added `beam` struct support for ok and error tuples

## 0.1.3

- fixed error reporting for the `/// nif:` directive
- added ok/error tuple with string
- added c header path support
- restored documentation for exceptions

## 0.2.0

- general rewrite of nif parsing routines
- initial support for resources
- experimental addition of `:dirty`, `:long` and `:safe` function directives

## 0.3.0-pre

- supported zig version: 0.6.0
- disabled `:long` mode

## 0.3.0-pre3

- support for (and autodetect) nerves
- use erlang nif headers taken from the `include` directory of your erts.
- correct and verified support for releases
- adds a mechanism for patching errors in zig/llvm releases
- adds ~z for substituted values
- zigler fetches zig on compile when it's in prod.

## 0.3.0

- verified that zig tests run correctly
- updated documentation.
  - preliminary "under the hood" category.

## 0.3.1

- support for `amd64` in freebsd, (thanks @dch)

## 0.3.2

- better support for nerves (thanks @fhunleth)
- fixed documentation linking for bootstrap

## 0.7.1
- upgraded to zig 0.7.1.  From now on zigler version numbers will track Zig
  releases.
- completed implementation of `threaded` nifs.
- makes the interface to `beam.send` simpler and less confusing.
- adds extra atom/tuple directives
- **important:** changes the base module namespace from `Zigler` to `Zig`
- readme and guides are now checked.
- libraries are now brought into the staging directory.
- unblocked windows compilation path.  There are still some bugs. Thanks
  @seomwan
- regressions:
  - Nerves support will have to be dropped until arm32 is tier 1.  Use 0.3.2.
  - zigtests do not seem to work when libraries are loaded

## 0.7.2
- **note:** this compiles with zig 0.7.1
- **important (breaking):** semantics for `beam.yield` have changed.
  there is no longer any need to update the environment of the yielding
  function, and `beam.yield()` now returns `!void`
- `beam.yield` is safely usable in non-yielding nifs.
- Zigler now no longer automatically links libc.  This may cause
  compilation problems on non-linux platforms.  Please post any bug
  reports to github tracker.
- thanks to (@dch and @wojtekmach for updating some dependency issues)

## 0.7.3
- **note:** this compiles with zig 0.7.1
- better platform matching for nerves cross-compliation (@fhunleth)

## 0.8.1
- `beam.assert` deprecated.  Use `std.testing` functions.
- support for error-returning functions and error return traces merged with
  stacktraces.
- support for cancellation of threaded nifs with `beam.yield`
- better support for 'bring your own zig'; moved to library config function
- tentative support for MacOS and FreeBSD targets
- `void` returning functions now output `:ok` instead of `nil`

## 0.9.1
- updated to zig 0.9.1, after allocgate
- support for compling C and C++ files using `zig cc`
- support for `link_libcpp` in addition to `link_libc`
- special thanks to @jeremyowensboggs, who had a nicer upgrade implementation
  than mine.

## 0.10.1
- complete overhaul of entire zig system
- Breaking changes:
  - `beam.get`, `beam.make`
  - nif selection is no longer done using inline docstrings
    - select nifs using `use Zig` options.
  - zig test has been deprecated, and may return as a plugin
    library in the future
  - zig doc has been deprecated for general use, though can
    be used experimentally through `Zig.Doc`
  - yielding nifs are not supported, but will return in 0.11
    due to zig async not working in 0.10.x

## 0.12.1
- breakout `zig.get` into its own package to prevent dependency problems.
- breakout `zig.doc` into its own package to prevent dependency problems.
- versioning of .so files should track the version.  This feature should be considered experimental.
- use of threadlocal `beam.context` to keep contextual information for your NIF
  - major changes in `beam.get` and `beam.make`
  - `.as` option for `beam.make` with recursive descent
- full range of `on_load`, `on_update`, and `on_reload` functions
- optional allocator functions usable with nifs
- better recursive typing
- smarter `beam.send`
- attributes imported as compile-time values

## 0.13.0
- updated to zig 0.13.0
- Breaking changes:
  - threadlocal `context` in function calls, optional passing `beam.env` into your functions
  - makes `beam.get/make` functions `context`-aware, with all context-dependent things overridable.

## 0.14.0
- Breaking changes:
  - deprecation of General Purpose Allocator in favor of DebugAllocator
  - beam.term_type now uses an options tuple with `env` field.
  - struct module names are now assigned using the `struct` option instead of using `as`.
- Windows support:
  - Experimental windows support added.
  - Error return traces not supported.
  - on_upgrade hooks not supported pending module .so versioning changes.
- Features:
  - adds ZIG_EXECUTABLE_PATH environment variable
  - path resolution from CWD when a path is specified as `./`
  - adds the ability to override the default fallback function (elixir only)
- Outstanding issues:
  - c_ulonglong doesn't work on windows; c_long doesn't work on other platforms.
- Etc:
  - uses system `:json` module, if available.
  - Experimental FreeBSD support added.

## 0.14.1

- no changes.

## 0.15.2

- Breaking changes:
  - rename "packages" option to "extra_modules"
  - unification of path scheme ("./" is project-rooted)
  - renamed `release_mode` to `optimize`.  Also note the new optimize policy defaults
    to `ReleaseSafe` in non-dev, non-test modes and defaults to `Debug` in test and dev.
- Policy changes:
  - error return traces by default in ReleaseSafe builds
- Temporary Regressions:
  - Error return traces are disabled in MacOS (due to https://github.com/ziglang/zig/issues/25433)
  - on_upgrade tests are failing in elixir 1.19.x; may or may not reflect a real problem.
- Outstanding issues:
  - c_ulonglong doesn't work on windows; c_long doesn't work on other platforms.
- Features:
  - add "dependency" option for zig dependencies
  - `precompiled` option that will let you use precompiled library assets.  NOTE: this feature is highly
    experimental and functions might need to be compiled for different erts versions.  This will likely 
    be changed in the future.
  - adds `beam.get_list_cell`

## Possible Future Changes
- `struct` which lets you declare a struct inside your zig code as the module's struct