C3 – A C alternative that looks like C
Compiler link: https://github.com/c3lang/c3c Docs: http://www.c3-lang.org This is my follow-up "Show HN" from roughly a year ago (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27876570). Since then the language design has evolved and the compiler has gotten much more solid. Assorted extra info: - The C3 name is a homage to the C2 language project (http://c2lang.org) which it was originally inspired by. - Although C3 mostly conforms to C syntax, the most obvious change is requiring `fn` in front of the functions. This is to simplify searching for…
In plain words
C3 is a programming language compiler that maintains C-like syntax while introducing design improvements. It requires the `fn` keyword before function definitions to simplify code navigation in editors. The language evolves C semantics with modifications documented on its website. C3 is aimed at developers seeking a modern alternative to C that preserves familiar syntax conventions while offering a more solid compiler implementation.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Compiler link: https://github.com/c3lang/c3c Docs: http://www.c3-lang.org This is my follow-up "Show HN" from roughly a year ago (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27876570). Since then the language design has evolved and the compiler has gotten much more solid. Assorted extra info: - The C3 name is a homage to the C2 language project (http://c2lang.org) which it was originally inspired by. - Although C3 mostly conforms to C syntax, the most obvious change is requiring `fn` in front of the functions. This is to simplify searching for definitions in editors. - There is a comparison with some other languages here: http://www.c3-lang.org/compare/ - The parts in C3 which breaks C semantics or syntax: http://www.c3-lang.org/changesfromc/ - Aside from the very C-like syntax, one the biggest difference between C3 and other "C competitors" is that C3 prioritizes C ABI compatibility, so that all C3 special types (such as slices and optionals) can be used from C without any effort. C and C3 can coexist nicely in a code base. - Currently the standard library is not even alpha quality, it's actively being built, but there is a `libc` module which allows accessing all of libc. Raylib is available to use from C3 with MacOS and Windows, see: https://github.com/c3lang/vendor - There is a blog with assorted articles I've written during the development: https://c3.handmade.network/blog
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