A low-level compiled alternative to C, C++, and more!
Why? • Goals • Status • Getting Started • Usage • Join Us
Luma is a modern systems programming language designed to provide the performance and control of low-level languages while maintaining developer productivity and code clarity. Built from the ground up to address common pain points in systems programming.
Modern systems programming often involves a trade-off between performance, safety, and developer experience. Luma aims to bridge this gap by providing:
- Direct hardware access without sacrificing code readability
- Predictable performance characteristics for systems-critical applications
- Developer-friendly tooling that doesn't compromise on compile speed
- Memory safety options that can be opted into when needed
- 🎯 Minimal & Explicit Syntax – Avoid hidden control flow or magic
- ⚡ Fast Compilation – Prioritize developer feedback cycles
- 🚀 Zero-Cost Abstractions – Avoid performance penalties for convenience
- 🔧 Manual Memory Control – Support fine-grained memory management
- 🛠️ Toolchain Simplicity – No complex build systems required
Current Phase: Early Development
Luma is currently in active development. Core language features are being implemented and the compiler architecture is being established. Check out the todo to see what is being worked on or that is done.
You'll need the following tools installed:
- Make - Build automation
- GCC - GNU Compiler Collection
- LLVM - Compiler infrastructure
- Valgrind (optional) - Memory debugging
Interested in contributing to Luma? We'd love to have you!
- Check out our GitHub repository
- Join our Discord community
- Look at the doxygen-generated docs for architecture details here
- If you would like to contribute, please read our contribution guidelines.
Built with ❤️ by the Luma community