Show HN: Cicada – a scripting language that integrates with C
by briancr on 1/30/2026, 12:07:26 PM
I wrote a lightweight scripting language that runs together with C. Specifically, it's a C library, you run it through a C function call, and it can callback your own C functions. Compiles to ~250 kB. No dependencies beyond the C standard library.<p>Key language features: * Uses aliases not pointers, so it's memory-safe * Arrays are N-dimensional and resizable * Runs scripts or its own 'shell' * Error trapping * Methods, inheritance, etc. * Customizable syntax
https://github.com/heltilda/cicada
Comments
by: smartmic
Cool, I like these kinds of projects. When it comes to embedding a scripting language in C, there are already some excellent options: Notable ones are Janet, Guile, and Lua. Tcl is also worth considering. My personal favorite is still Janet[0]. Others?<p>[0]: <a href="https://janet-lang.org/" rel="nofollow">https://janet-lang.org/</a>
1/30/2026, 1:32:43 PM