ZenSigil 0.8 — shared projects keep their tests

A shared project should keep its tests. ZenSigil 0.8 fixes that gap.

You can now pack a project, send the file to someone else, and run its tests after the original folder is gone. Unpacking restores a project with its input, contracts, and tests. The playground can edit and run those separate test files too.

The editor adds Find References, refreshes imported files after changes, and has a restart command. Collection functions now stop earlier when a callback returns an invalid or oversized result. Bracket errors point to the character that needs attention.

This is still an experimental release. The language works, but a stable release needs outside use and a compatibility promise. The stability plan sets those conditions.

Start with the quickstart. See the changes and migration notes before upgrading. The release checks include the results and limits.

Download the source ZIP or install the attached Python wheel. Python 3.9 or later is required. The VSIX is a local VS Code extension package. These packages are not on PyPI or the VS Code Marketplace.

The standalone VS Code checks passed. The workspace editor check remains unverified because the test window’s trust prompt could not be reached.

All seven release review checks passed. These cover Python 3.9 and 3.12 on Linux, macOS, and Windows, plus the playground package. The first Windows run found a line-ending assumption in a test. The corrected test now checks exact preservation of both LF and CRLF text.

After publication, all seven release-tag checks passed. All 18 attached downloads were fetched again and matched the local files and GitHub SHA-256 digests. The 300 public source files match the checked release source.

ZenSigil 0.7.0 — type advice and developer adoption

ZenSigil 0.7 makes the first developer task easier to run, check, and share. It remains an experimental programming language.

• Project manifests can select input data and contracts. Explicit command flags take priority.
• pack PROJECT carries the runnable entry, its imported modules, input, and contracts. Separate test files stay in the source project.
• The linter reports known type conflicts without running the source. The playground and editor show these as advice.
• Path and manifest errors now return clear diagnostics. Large warning results no longer disconnect the editor.
• The quickstart has a verified result. The documentation audits 45 language and adoption needs and records 24 selected outcomes.

Validation: 362 Python tests passed locally on Python 3.9 and 3.12. The 49 playground tests, 6 editor client tests, production build, installed-wheel checks, and isolated first-task journey passed. VS Code 1.141.0 passed 8 standalone host checks with the final wheel. All 284 public source files matched the tested source before merge. Release checks cover 17 hashes and 14 portable examples.

Start with the quickstart. Read the evidence and limits and the 45-need audit.

Download the source ZIP or install the attached wheel. The runtime needs Python 3.9 or later. It has no third-party runtime dependencies. The attached VSIX is a local editor package. These packages are not published to PyPI or the VS Code Marketplace.

Known limits: type advice is partial; real-host workspace-import testing remains unverified; no outside developer trial or production-readiness claim is established. The $100 developer trial document is a proposal, not an active reward offer.

All seven release pull-request checks passed on the final source.

ZenSigil 0.6 — Libraries, REPL and developer tools

ZenSigil 0.6 is an experimental programming-language release for reusable calculations, data transformations and reviewable intent.

What changed

• Named module imports (use "lib/math.zs" as math), explicit export fn, private helpers and isolated module scopes.
• A transactional interactive shell with expressions, multiline cells, undo/reset and portable saves.
• Eight new collection functions, bringing the standard library to 69 functions.
• JUnit XML test reports with protected output files.
• Namespace-aware editor completion, hover and definitions.
• 23 runnable examples and migration support for older portable programs.

Try it

Clone the repository and run python3 -m zensigil serve --port 8766, or install the attached wheel in a Python 3.9+ virtual environment. Explore the terminal with python3 -m zensigil repl.

The ZIP contains source and the built local playground. Portable .sigil.json files include example source, inputs and modules. The VSIX is a locally packaged VS Code extension requiring the installed 0.6 Python interpreter. SHA256SUMS covers the attached distributables.

Verification and limits

315 Python tests passed on Python 3.9 and 3.12 locally, along with 47 playground tests and 6 editor-client tests. Installed-wheel checks and browser save/reopen checks passed. All seven GitHub jobs passed, including Python 3.9/3.12 on Linux, macOS and Windows. See docs/release-evidence-v06.md for remote CI results and the 45-outcome ledger.

Experimental pre-1.0 release: new reserved words and module scope changes are documented in docs/compatibility.md. No PyPI or Visual Studio Marketplace release is claimed. Actual VS Code application-host validation remains incomplete; protocol/provider tests pass. Static inference, a stepping debugger, a package registry and asynchronous I/O remain future work.