Zig Enums

Introduction to Zig Enums

Zig enums are powerful constructs that define tagged unions with exhaustive variants. They allow developers to work with a fixed set of possible values, making code more reliable and easier to maintain. Let's dive into what makes Zig enums unique and how they can be utilized effectively in your code.

Defining Zig Enums

In Zig, enums are defined using the enum keyword. Each variant in a Zig enum can have an associated value, and the compiler ensures that all possible cases are handled, making your code more robust.

In the above example, we define an enum called Color with three possible values: Red, Green, and Blue. This enum does not have any associated data with its variants.

Tagged Unions with Associated Data

Zig enums can also hold associated data with each variant, effectively making them tagged unions. This allows each case to carry additional information.

Here, we define an enum Result with two variants: Ok with an i32 value, and Error with a pointer to a constant unsigned 8-bit integer. This way, you can capture more context about the enum's state.

Pattern Matching with Enums

Pattern matching is a powerful feature that allows you to handle each variant of an enum individually. This ensures that your code exhaustively handles all possible cases.

The handleResult function demonstrates how to use a switch statement to pattern match over a Result enum, ensuring that both Ok and Error cases are handled properly.

Benefits of Using Zig Enums

By using enums, you can make your Zig programs safer and more expressive. Enums help prevent invalid states and make sure that all potential states are considered during compilation, leading to fewer runtime errors.