---

CMinus 🎗️ Programming Language

C without the limits

---

CMinus (C-) is a source-to-source language that compiles to C.
You write modern, expressive, and less repetitive code, and CMinus generates clean, readable, and optimizable C code as output.

This project exists for a very simple reason:

I needed a better way to write large C projects without losing C’s power and portability.

C is everywhere -- kernels, embedded systems, game engines, system libraries --
but as projects grow, C becomes verbose, repetitive, and harder to scale.

CMinus does not replace C.
It embraces C and builds on top of it.

---

Important Notes (Please Read)

🚧 This project is in early design stage
❎ There is no compiler yet
📄 The repository currently focuses on language design and documentation
🧪 Syntax, features, and rules may evolve

This is also my first public GitHub repository.
If you notice anything odd, unclear, or poorly structured, please don’t mind --
or better yet, teach me how I can do it better.

Feedback, corrections, and suggestions are very welcome.

---

Why CMinus?

C already gives you:

• performance
• control
• portability

But it also comes with:

• boilerplate
• weak abstraction tools
• repetitive patterns
• fragile large-scale codebases

C++ tried to solve this by adding everything.
CMinus takes a different path.

Make C easier to write, not harder to understand.

---

Philosophy

“All the power of C, minus the ceremony.”

CMinus is built around a few core principles:

1. Transparency
   You can always see the generated C code.

2. Control
   Manual memory when you want it, safety tools when you need them.

3. Simplicity
   One clear way to do things -- no hidden magic.

4. Interop First
   C compatibility is a requirement, not an afterthought.

---

Example (Conceptual)

main [optimize: 3, libc: 1] {
    let name = "World";
    println("Hello, #{name}!");

    variant{int, string} value = 42;
    println("Number: #{value as int}") when value is int;

    let numbers = new List<int>(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);
    let doubled = numbers.map(\x -> x * 2);
    println("Doubled: #{doubled}");
}

This code is intended to compile into clean, human-readable C that any C compiler can further optimize.

---

What This Project Is (and Is Not)

✅ What it is

• A better way to write C
• A source-to-source compiler
• A personal need turned into a shared tool
• A documentation-first language design

❎ What it is not

• Not hype-driven
• Not a C replacement
• Not a runtime-heavy language
• Not a finished product (yet)

---

Who This Is For

• Systems programmers who love C but want better ergonomics
• Game developers working with large, performance-critical C codebases
• Embedded developers who need predictable, portable C output
• Library authors designing clean public C APIs
• Anyone who wants modern structure without losing C

---

Project Status

• 📘 Language specification: in progress
• 🪁 Design discussions: open
• 🛠️ Compiler: not started
• 🤝 Contributions: welcome (especially feedback)

If you’re interested in language design, compiler construction, or just better C -- feel free to explore the docs, open issues, or share thoughts.

---

Final Words

This project was not created for popularity or hype. It exists because I needed it, and I believe I’m not alone.

If C is still your tool of choice, CMinus aims to make it less painful, more expressive, and easier to scale.

CMinus -- write better C, get C back.

---