Zig Programming Training Overview
Zig is a general-purpose programming language and toolchain for creating robust, optimal, and reusable software. Zig improves on C with its customized memory control, null reference protection, and required error handling. Unlike Rust, Zig allows low-level memory control with syntax and memory model features to help avoid memory leaks. Finally, it provides interoperability with existing C libraries.
This Zig Programming training course teaches attendees how to leverage Zig's data types, control flow structures, code organization, memory management, and more.
Location and Pricing
Accelebrate offers instructor-led enterprise training for groups of 3 or more online or at your site. Most Accelebrate classes can be flexibly scheduled for your group, including delivery in half-day segments across a week or set of weeks. To receive a customized proposal and price quote for private corporate training on-site or online, please contact us.
In addition, some courses are available as live, instructor-led training from one of our partners.
Objectives
- Build and run Zig programs
- Explore features unique to Zig that set it apart from other languages
- Understand where Zig is a good choice for writing software
- Work with the Zig toolchain
- Explore how Zig can be used as a drop-in replacement for C
- Discover how Zig enables performance and safety
- Apply modern techniques for memory control, null reference handling, and error handling with a lower-level language.
Prerequisites
All students must have programming experience.
Outline
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Introduction
- What is Zig?
- What Problems Does Zig solve?
- Zig Compared to C
- Zig Compared to Other Languages
- Zig Zen
Getting Started
- Zig Toolchain
- Hello, Zig!
- Code and Debug with VSCode
- Zig Standard Library
- Zig Source Files
- Cross Compilation
Language Features in Hello Zig
- Importing from the Standard Library
- Constants
- Define a Public “main” Function
- Try Statement
- Error Union Types
- String Interpolation
- Comments
Zig Project Scaffolding
- Create a New Executable Project
- Create a New Library Project
- Build and Run
- Build and Test
Console Apps
- Print Output to the Terminal
- Format Specifiers
- Anonymous Struct Literals
- Capture Input from the Terminal
- String Comparison
- While Loop
- Error Handling
Data Types
- Integers
- Floats
- Arrays
- Pointers
- Slices
Variables
- Variable Name Rules
- Container Level Variables
- Compile-Time vs. Run-Time Variables
- Local Variables
Control Flow
- Expressions and Operators
- While/For Loops
- Break/Continue Statements
- If Statement
- Switch Statement
- Try/Catch Statement
- Defer/ErrDefer Statement
Functions
- What is a Function?
- Define a Function
- Call a Function
- Pass Parameters to a Function
- Immutable vs Mutable Parameters
- Importing Functions from Other Zig Code Files
Strings
- UTF-8 Data Type
- Character Arrays
- Buffers
- Print Formatted Strings
- Capture Strings Console Input
- String Copy
- String Comparison
Memory Control
- Memory Allocation Philosophy
- Memory Control vs. Memory Safety
- Choosing an Allocators
- Heap Allocation Failure
- Lifetime and Ownership
- Optional and Optional Pointers
- Null References
Program a Zig “Object”
- Compared to C/C++/Python/JavaScript
- Anonymous Structs
- Anonymous Struct Literals
- Data Fields
- Constant Fields
- Error Enums
- Function Members
- Function Patterns
- Dynamic Memory Allocation
Testing
- Zig’s built-in testing
- What can be tested?
- Assert Output with Expect
Conclusion
Training Materials
All Zig Programming training students receive comprehensive courseware.
Software Requirements
A complete, remote virtual environment is provided for training and is accessible via the Internet from any modern web browser.
