Zig's Growing Tech Influence | Generated by AI
Zig is definitely making inroads in both big tech and the startup scene, though its adoption patterns differ from more established languages like Python, Java, or even Rust.
Zig in Big Tech Companies
While you won’t see Zig as a primary language for massive new features at Google, Amazon, or Microsoft (yet), its impact in big tech is more nuanced:
- Compiler Toolchain Integration (zig cc): This is where Zig often first appears in larger companies. Zig’s fantastic C/C++ cross-compilation capabilities and its powerful build system (powered by
zig cc) are extremely appealing. Companies like Uber have publicly discussed usingzig ccfor their infrastructure, not necessarily writing entire services in Zig, but leveraging its build system to improve existing C/C++ workflows. - Performance-Critical Components: For specific, highly optimized components where raw performance, minimal overhead, and predictable memory management are paramount, Zig is a strong contender. Think about things like:
- Low-level infrastructure: Network proxies, specialized data processing, or embedded systems.
- Tooling: Compilers, build tools, or performance analysis platforms.
- WebAssembly (WASM): Zig is gaining traction for compiling to WASM, which is relevant for web-facing applications requiring high performance client-side or in serverless environments.
- Experimentation and Niche Use Cases: Engineers within big tech companies might be experimenting with Zig for new projects or in specific teams that value its unique characteristics. It’s often adopted by passionate individuals or small, innovative teams.
- Indirect Influence: Even if not directly using Zig for widespread production, its design principles (e.g., explicit memory management,
comptimefor metaprogramming, strong C interoperability) are influencing how engineers think about systems programming and even the design of other languages.
It’s important to note that direct “official” announcements from big tech about widespread Zig adoption are rare. Companies often prefer to keep their internal technology choices private, or they might adopt a tool like zig cc without making a big public statement about the language itself.
Zig in Startups
Startups are where Zig is seeing more direct and enthusiastic adoption for a few key reasons:
- Greenfield Projects: Startups often build from scratch, giving them the freedom to choose modern languages that align with their goals.
- Performance as a Differentiator: For startups building products where performance is a core competitive advantage (e.g., databases, runtimes, high-throughput systems, game engines), Zig offers a compelling alternative to C, C++, or even Rust, sometimes with a simpler learning curve for those familiar with C.
- Lean and Efficient: Startups often need to be lean with resources. Zig’s focus on small, fast binaries and predictable performance helps optimize infrastructure costs and developer efficiency.
- Direct Control: Many startups need fine-grained control over system resources and memory, which Zig provides without the steep complexity of C++ or the stricter paradigms of Rust.
- Examples of Startups Using Zig:
- Bun: As mentioned, this JavaScript runtime is a prime example of a highly successful startup built on Zig, demonstrating its capability for high-performance user-facing tools.
- TigerBeetle: A financial database startup that chose Zig for its mission-critical safety and performance requirements. This highlights confidence in Zig for high-assurance systems.
- Ghostty: A promising terminal emulator, also a startup endeavor, leveraging Zig for a native, performant application.
- Many other smaller startups are using Zig for various components, from backend services to specialized tools. The “companies using Zig in production” list on GitHub is a good indicator of this growing trend.
Challenges and Outlook
Despite its growing popularity, Zig is still a relatively young language (especially without a stable 1.0 release). This means:
- Maturity of Ecosystem: While growing rapidly, the standard library and third-party ecosystem are not as extensive as those of more mature languages. Startups adopting Zig often need to be prepared to build more things themselves or contribute to the community.
- Talent Pool: The number of experienced Zig developers is still small compared to other languages. This can make hiring challenging for companies looking to scale their Zig teams. However, this scarcity also contributes to higher salaries for Zig developers, as some reports suggest.
- Learning Curve: While aiming to be simpler than C++, Zig still requires an understanding of low-level concepts and manual memory management, which can be a learning curve for developers primarily familiar with higher-level languages.
In summary:
- Big Tech: Adopts Zig strategically for its build system (
zig cc) and for performance-critical, niche components where its advantages are highly impactful. Less likely to be a general-purpose language across entire departments. - Startups: More likely to adopt Zig as a primary language for new products, especially those where performance, efficiency, and direct system control are key differentiators.
The trajectory for Zig seems positive, particularly in areas where C and C++ have traditionally dominated. As it matures towards 1.0 and its ecosystem grows, we can expect to see even broader adoption in both the startup and big tech spheres.