The V programming language is a minimalist, fast, and safe language that compiles to small binaries with zero dependencies. It features automatic memory management without a garbage collector and aims to rival Go and Rust for systems programming.
Background
- V (Vlang) is an open-source systems programming language created by Alexander Medvednikov, first released around 2019. It aims to combine Go's simplicity with C's performance, while offering features like automatic memory management (no garbage collector), a built-in GUI library, and a "tinylang" mode that restricts syntax features per project.
- The article portrays V as a revolutionary alternative to Go, Rust, Zig, and C. Selling points include very fast compilation (often sub-second), a tiny compiler (~1 MB), and C-like speed without manual memory management, macros, or header files.
- V has been controversial. Early claims about the self-hosted compiler and stability timeline drew skepticism from prominent Rust and Go developers, who noted overstated benchmarks and features that existed only as promises. The roadmap has since been revised.
- The ecosystem includes a package manager (vpm) and supports compiling to C, JavaScript, and WASM. Notable projects written in V include the Vid text editor and several embedded tools.