SwaziLang

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Swahili

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Installation Guide ​

This page helps you install SwaziLang (compiler) and SwaziPen (browser IDE) so you can start coding right away.

1. Prerequisites ​

SwaziLang Compiler ​

Right now SwaziLang do not have an official pre-built cross-platform binaries to just download and install, You will need to build the interpreter from the source to get started. To build from source you need:-

  • Any C++ Compiler: GCC, Clang, or MSVC (install from their official website — but if you have any don't worry)
  • CMake: For building the project (install from their official website)
  • Python 3: Required for Conan (C/C++ dependency manager)
  • Conan: For dependency management

SwaziPen IDE ​

To also have SwaziPen IDE you need to have:-

  • Node.js: Version 14+ recommended
  • pnpm: Node package manager

2. Install SwaziLang ​

Step A: Install Conan (assuming you already have a c++ compiler, python3 pip and cmake) ​

bash
pip install conan
# Verify installation
conan --version

Step B: Clone and Build ​

bash
git clone https://github.com/godieGH/SwaziLang.git
cd SwaziLang

mkdir build && cd build # create a build dir 

conan install .. --build=missing --output-folder=. # install dependencies with conan

cmake .. && cmake --build . --parallel # the parallel flag is there to speed up the build process
# Then wait a minute or two for the build process to finish

Step C: Test Installation ​

bash
./swazi

You should see the SwaziLang REPL prompt.

swazi

There we go we got the swazi compiler right away, so we can start coding with SwaziLang

It will be a nicer practice to add it to your system path so that it can be ran anywhere and without the ./ in ./swazi or with .\ in .\swazi.exe(in windows)

steps to add it in system path ​

  • Linux and MacOs
    • To check the current system path run echo $PATH, this shows a list of available system paths.
    • move or copy the executable to one of the paths, and there you have the executable running anywhere
    • Or you could add a new path to the list within your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc with this command
    sh
    echo 'export PATH="/path/to/your/local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
# the local bin path should be the absolute path where you kept the swazi executable. for now is in the /..../SwaziLang/build/ (move/copy it if necessary to you custom local bins)

# Then reload your shell configuration with
source ~/.bashrc # for bash users
#or 
source ~/.zshrc # for zsh users

# Verify it works by running swazi without ./
swazi # You will see the repl
# or with which
which swazi # simple and clear
  • For Windows
    • Using the GUI, easiest. Copy swazi executable to a permanent location (e.g., C:\Program Files\YourApp\ or C:\Tools\ )
    • Open System Properties:
      1. Press Win + X and select "System"
      2. Click "Advanced system settings" on the right
      3. Click "Environment Variables" button
    • Edit the PATH variable:
      1. Under "User variables" (for current user) or "System variables" (for all users), find and select "Path"
      2. Click "Edit"
    • Add your directory: 1) Click "New" 2) Enter the full path to the directory containing your executable (e.g., C:\Tools) 3) Click "OK" on all dialogs
    • Restart your terminal or Command Prompt
    • Verify it works:
      1. use where swazi command on your command prompt
      2. or with swazi to open the repl

Note: You can just google or search for how to add an executable in System path as per device to understand more

3. Install SwaziPen ​

Step A: Clone SwaziPen ​

bash
git clone https://github.com/godieGH/SwaziPen.git
cd SwaziPen

# You can also use npm, ban or yarn (but recommended pnpm)
pnpm install # install dependencies
pnpm link # link it global to use it anywhere

Step B: Build the Client ​

This right is the process of building the client (The Editor UI)

bash
cd client
pnpm install # install client dependencies
pnpm build # build the client

This generates the client build in the server/public folder.

The next doc-page will pass you through how to use swazipen to write SwaziLang codes

4. Troubleshooting ​

  • CMake not found: Download CMake
  • pnpm not found: Install via npm install -g pnpm
  • Compiler errors: Make sure your C++ compiler is installed and added to PATH.
  • Permission errors: Use sudo if needed (Linux/macOS), or run as administrator (Windows).

Need help? Join the SwaziLang community or open a GitHub issue! issues