Zigport

zigport is an NPM package as well as a command-line tool that automates the generation of TypeScript Foreign Function Interface (FFI) bindings for Zig libraries created by Tahcin Ul Karim (Mycin). It simplifies the process of calling Zig functions from JavaScript/TypeScript, making it an excellent choice for Bun-based projects that require high-performance Zig functions. Yes, you can now summon Zig speed into your Bun app without breaking a sweat!

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Why zigport?

• Automated Zig FFI Binding Generation: No need to manually write bindings; zigport does the heavy lifting for you.
• Seamless Integration with Bun: Works like magic with Bun’s FFI capabilities.
• Efficient Type Mapping: Zig types get mapped to TypeScript with zero headaches.
• Simple CLI Interface: Generate and clean bindings with a single command. No over-engineered nonsense.

Installation

You can install zigport globally using npm, yarn, or bun:

# Using npm
npm install -g zigport

# Using yarn
yarn global add zigport

# Using bun
bun add -g zigport

Getting Started

1. Set Up Your Project

Create a lib/ directory in your project root. This is where the magic happens.

mkdir -p lib/zig

2. Write Your Zig Code

Inside lib/zig/, create a Zig source file (e.g., hello.zig) with the following content:

const std = @import("std");

export fn say_hello() void {
    std.debug.print("Hello, {s}!\n", .{"World"});
}

3. Generate Bindings

Now, let zigport do its thing:

zigport generate lib/

This will:

• Compile Zig files into dynamic libraries (.so, .dll, .dylib depending on your platform).
• Generate TypeScript FFI bindings.
• Create an index.ts file inside lib/.

4. Use Zig Functions in TypeScript

Once the bindings are generated, import and use them in your TypeScript code:

import { sayHello } from "./lib";

sayHello();

5. Run it!

Note that for now it only supports Bun, but we’re working on supporting Deno and Node.js. For this, you'll need Bun installed on your machine. Install Bun using npm, yarn, or bun:

npm install -g bun

Now run the file.

bun run fileName.ts

Boom. Zig-powered performance, Bun simplicity. Life’s good.

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CLI Commands

zigport generate <path>

Generates Zig FFI bindings and compiles Zig files into dynamic libraries.

zigport generate lib/

zigport clean

Removes generated files, including compiled Zig libraries and TypeScript bindings.

zigport clean

zigport help

Displays the help menu with available commands.

zigport help

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Advanced Usage

Passing and Returning Numbers

Zig can return numbers, making complex calculations lightning-fast.

Zig Code (math.zig):

export fn add_numbers(a: i32, b: i32) i32 {
    return a + b;
}

Generate bindings:

zigport generate lib/

TypeScript Usage:

import { addNumbers } from "./lib";

console.log("5 + 3 =", addNumbers(5, 3));

Passing and Returning Strings

Zig can return strings too! But memory management is your responsibility.

Zig Code (string_utils.zig):

const std = @import("std");

export fn greet(name: [*]const u8) [*]const u8 {
    const message = "Hello, " ++ name ++ "!";
    return message;
}

Generate bindings:

zigport generate lib/

TypeScript Usage:

import { greet } from "./lib";

console.log(greet("Alice"));

Zig just greeted Alice from TypeScript. Mind-blowing, right?

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Troubleshooting

1. zigport fails to generate bindings

• Ensure that Zig is installed.
• Check that the lib/zig/ directory contains valid Zig files.
• Run zig build inside lib/zig/ to diagnose compilation issues.

2. TypeScript FFI calls fail

• Ensure that the Zig functions are properly exported using export.
• Verify that the correct function signatures are used in TypeScript.

3. Dynamic libraries are not loading

• On Windows, ensure that .dll files are in the correct directory.
• On macOS, use install_name_tool to set the correct library paths.
• On Linux, check LD_LIBRARY_PATH.

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Example Project

Here’s a simple Bun project using zigport:

Directory Structure

my-project/
├── lib/
│   ├── zig/
│   │   ├── hello.zig
│   │   ├── math.zig
│   │   ├── string_utils.zig
│   │   ├── build.zig
├── src/
│   ├── main.ts
├── package.json

main.ts

import { sayHello, addNumbers, greet } from "../lib";

sayHello("zigport User");
console.log(addNumbers(10, 20));
console.log(greet("Bob"));

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Contributing

Love zigport? Want to make it even better? Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests on GitHub. If zigport saved you hours of headache, consider buying us a virtual coffee ☕️!

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Note: Also, check out RustPort – a similar tool that generates TypeScript FFI bindings for Rust libraries. Because Rust needs love too!