By completing this course, learners will:

• Write efficient Zig programs with safe memory control.

• Use Zig’s build system and package manager.

• Handle errors and concurrency effectively.

• Interact with C code and libraries directly.

• Build cross-platform and embedded projects.

• Apply Zig in real-world performance-critical applications.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Zig

• Why Zig? Philosophy and use cases

• Installing Zig and using the compiler

• First Zig program

Module 2: Language Basics

• Variables, constants, and types

• Functions and scopes

• Control flow structures

Module 3: Data Structures

• Arrays and slices

• Structs and enums

• Optionals and unions

Module 4: Memory Management

• Manual memory allocation with allocators

• Heap vs stack memory

• Safe resource cleanup

Module 5: Error Handling

• Error unions and try/catch

• Defer and error propagation

• Common error-handling patterns

Module 6: Concurrency & Performance

• Async functions in Zig

• Low-level concurrency primitives

• Performance optimization techniques

Module 7: Build System & Packages

• Using Zig’s build system

• Package management basics

• Cross-compilation

Module 8: C Interoperability

• Importing C libraries

• Using @cImport for bindings

• Migrating C projects to Zig

Module 9: Real-World Projects

• CLI tool with Zig

• Game engine module example

• Embedded system demo

Module 10: Best Practices & Advanced Topics

• Debugging Zig programs

• Project structuring for maintainability

• Future of Zig and community ecosystem

Upon completion, learners receive a Certificate of Completion from Uplatz, validating their expertise in Zig systems programming. This certification demonstrates readiness for roles in systems engineering, embedded development, and performance-critical software design.

Zig expertise prepares learners for roles such as:

• Systems Programmer

• Embedded Software Engineer

• Game Developer (low-level engines/tools)

• Performance Engineer

• Compiler/Language Developer

Zig is increasingly being used in embedded systems, high-performance computing, and modern systems programming, making it a future-oriented skill.

1. What is Zig and why was it created?
   Zig is a systems programming language created as a modern alternative to C, focusing on simplicity, performance, and predictability.

2. How does Zig differ from C?
   Zig provides manual memory control like C but with safer error handling, better cross-compilation, and modern tooling.

3. What are allocators in Zig?
   Allocators are abstractions for memory management, allowing developers to control how and where memory is allocated.

4. How does Zig handle errors?
   Through error unions, try, and catch, ensuring explicit and predictable error handling.

5. What is cross-compilation in Zig?
   Zig has built-in cross-compilation support, allowing developers to compile binaries for different platforms without extra tools.

6. How does Zig interoperate with C?
   Zig can directly import C headers using @cImport and call C functions without foreign function overhead.

7. What are some real-world use cases of Zig?
   Game engines, operating systems, embedded systems, performance-critical libraries, and developer tooling.

8. How does Zig manage concurrency?
   Zig supports async/await and concurrency primitives for lightweight concurrency.

9. Why is Zig gaining popularity?
   Because of its focus on safety, cross-compilation, and replacing C in modern software ecosystems.

10. What are the advantages of Zig over Rust?

• Zig: simpler, more predictable, manual memory control.

• Rust: borrow checker, memory safety guarantees.
  Zig appeals to developers who prefer manual control over compiler-enforced safety.