riolet/rix
FreeRix language combines the power of C language and the convenience of a high level language
FreeFree tier
About riolet/rix
Rix is an expressive and efficient programming language designed for the C ecosystem. It combines the power of C with high-level language conveniences inspired by Python and type safety akin to Scala. Rix uses type inferencing to reduce boilerplate, supports RAII for resource management, and employs an English-like syntax (Subject Verb Object) for readability. It has no reserved keywords, allows operator overloading, and is whitespace sensitive. Rix compiles to easy-to-understand C code and can directly use C libraries. The language is still in early development, with many features not yet fully implemented.
Key Features
Type inferencing to reduce boilerplate
RAII for exception-safe resource management
English-like syntax (Subject Verb Object)
No reserved keywords; everything is redefinable
Operator overloading
Whitespace sensitive parsing
Generates easy-to-understand C code
Uses C libraries natively
Compiles to C for fast execution
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Python-like ease of programming
- C-like speed (benchmark shows 457 ms vs C 424 ms)
- Type safety similar to Scala
- Ability to drop down to native C code when needed
- Flexibility due to no reserved keywords
- Generates readable C code for debugging and learning
Cons
- Still in early development; many features not fully implemented
- Small and nascent community
- Limited documentation and examples
- Not yet production-ready for large-scale projects
- Requires knowledge of C for full utilization
Best For
System programming requiring high performanceWriting performance-critical algorithms (e.g., prime counting)Projects that benefit from both high-level readability and low-level controlEducational purposes to bridge high-level and low-level programmingScripting where C is too verbose but Python is too slow
FAQ
What is Rix?
Rix is an expressive and efficient programming language for the C ecosystem that combines the power of C with high-level language features like type inferencing and Python-like syntax.
How does Rix compare to C?
Rix aims to provide a faster development experience with less boilerplate while maintaining C-like performance. Benchmarks show Rix is nearly as fast as C (457 ms vs 424 ms for prime counting) and uses fewer characters of code.
Is Rix production-ready?
No, Rix is still in early development. Many features have not yet been fully implemented or described. A list of development tasks is available in the wiki.
How do I get started with Rix?
You can build the Rix compiler from source by running 'make clean; make' in the repository. Write your Rix program with a .rit extension, set RIX_HOME, and run the compiler.
Does Rix have any keywords?
No, Rix has no reserved keywords. Everything is redefinable, including control flow verbs like if, while, and for.