Zero Language Support

A Visual Studio Code extension for testing and running Zero programming language - a custom language created for self-learning compiler development.

📚 About This Project

This extension is designed to test a self-written compiler for the Zero programming language. Zero is a simple C-like language created as a learning exercise to understand:

• Lexical analysis and parsing
• Abstract syntax tree (AST) construction
• Semantic analysis and type checking
• Code generation and compilation techniques
• Language tooling integration

🔧 Language Features

Zero is a minimalistic programming language with:

• Data Types: int8, uint8, int16 (short), uint16 (ushort),int(int32), uint32 (uint), int64 (long), uint64 (ulong), bool
• Control Flow: if-else statements, while, for, do-while loops
• Functions: User-defined functions with parameters and return values
• Built-in Function: Only printf() and scanf() is provided as an external function
• C-like Syntax: Familiar syntax for ease of learning

📝 Example Code

Here's a sample Zero program (main.zr):

const int32 MAX = 100;
int x = 10;

// main function
int main()
{
    const int MIN = 1;
    int sum = Sum(MIN, MAX);

    printf("%d + ... + %d is %d.\n", MIN, MAX, sum);
    printf("%d! is %d\n", x, Factorial(x));

    bool b = true;

    if (b)
    {
        printf("true");
    }
    else printf("false");

    printf("Sqrt(2) is approximately %f\n", Sqrt2(100));

    return 0;
}

int Factorial(int x)
{
    if (x < 1) return 1;
    else return x * Factorial(x - 1);
}

int Sum(int start, int end)
{
    int sum = 0;
    while (!(start > end))
    {
        sum += start;
        start += 1;
    }
    return sum;
}

// Newton method to approximate sqrt(2)
double Sqrt2(int iterations)
{
    double x = 1.0; // initial guess
    int i = 0;
    do
    {
        x = 0.5 * (x + 2 / x);
        i++;
    }
    while (i < iterations);
    return x;
}

✨ Extension Features

• File Association: Automatically recognizes .zr files as Zero language files
• One-Click Execution: Run Zero programs directly from VS Code
• Terminal Integration: Execute programs in VS Code's integrated terminal
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Press Ctrl+F5 to quickly run your programs

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio Code
• The Zero compiler (zeror.exe) is bundled with this extension

Usage

1. Create a new file with .zr extension (e.g., main.zr)
2. Write your Zero program (see example above)
3. Click the ▶️ Run button in the editor toolbar, or
4. Press Ctrl+F5, or
5. Right-click and select "Run Zero File"

The program will execute in VS Code's integrated terminal.

🎯 Compiler Testing

This extension serves as a practical testing environment for the Zero compiler, allowing you to:

• Write test programs quickly
• Execute them with a single click
• View compilation errors and runtime output
• Iterate on compiler improvements efficiently

⚠️ Educational Purpose

Important Note: This is an educational project created for learning compiler development. The Zero language and its compiler are experimental tools designed for:

• Understanding compilation processes
• Testing language design concepts
• Exploring compiler optimization techniques

This is not intended for production use but rather as a practical learning platform.

🛠️ Language Limitations

Currently, Zero language has intentional limitations to keep the compiler implementation focused:

• Single built-in function: Only printf() and scanf() is available for output
• No standard library: Minimal runtime environment
• Basic type system: Simple data types only
• No advanced features: No classes, modules, or complex data structures

📄 License

This project is developed for educational purposes as part of compiler development studies.

🎓 Learning Resources

This extension demonstrates practical implementation of:

• Language server protocol concepts
• VS Code extension development
• Compiler testing workflows
• IDE integration for custom languages

Perfect for compiler enthusiasts and language design learners! 🚀