590 lines
19 KiB
Markdown
590 lines
19 KiB
Markdown
# zForth
|
||
|
||
**Source:** https://github.com/zevv/zForth
|
||
|
||
GitHub - zevv/zForth: zForth: tiny, embeddable, flexible, compact Forth scripting language for embedded systems
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
[Skip to content](#start-of-content)
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
## Navigation Menu
|
||
|
||
Toggle navigation
|
||
|
||
[Sign in](/login?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fzevv%2FzForth)
|
||
|
||
Appearance settings
|
||
|
||
* Platform
|
||
|
||
+ AI CODE CREATION
|
||
- [GitHub CopilotWrite better code with AI](https://github.com/features/copilot)
|
||
- [GitHub SparkBuild and deploy intelligent apps](https://github.com/features/spark)
|
||
- [GitHub ModelsManage and compare prompts](https://github.com/features/models)
|
||
- [MCP RegistryNewIntegrate external tools](https://github.com/mcp)
|
||
+ DEVELOPER WORKFLOWS
|
||
- [ActionsAutomate any workflow](https://github.com/features/actions)
|
||
- [CodespacesInstant dev environments](https://github.com/features/codespaces)
|
||
- [IssuesPlan and track work](https://github.com/features/issues)
|
||
- [Code ReviewManage code changes](https://github.com/features/code-review)
|
||
+ APPLICATION SECURITY
|
||
- [GitHub Advanced SecurityFind and fix vulnerabilities](https://github.com/security/advanced-security)
|
||
- [Code securitySecure your code as you build](https://github.com/security/advanced-security/code-security)
|
||
- [Secret protectionStop leaks before they start](https://github.com/security/advanced-security/secret-protection)
|
||
+ EXPLORE
|
||
- [Why GitHub](https://github.com/why-github)
|
||
- [Documentation](https://docs.github.com)
|
||
- [Blog](https://github.blog)
|
||
- [Changelog](https://github.blog/changelog)
|
||
- [Marketplace](https://github.com/marketplace)
|
||
|
||
[View all features](https://github.com/features)
|
||
* Solutions
|
||
|
||
+ BY COMPANY SIZE
|
||
- [Enterprises](https://github.com/enterprise)
|
||
- [Small and medium teams](https://github.com/team)
|
||
- [Startups](https://github.com/enterprise/startups)
|
||
- [Nonprofits](https://github.com/solutions/industry/nonprofits)
|
||
+ BY USE CASE
|
||
- [App Modernization](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/app-modernization)
|
||
- [DevSecOps](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/devsecops)
|
||
- [DevOps](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/devops)
|
||
- [CI/CD](https://github.com/solutions/use-case/ci-cd)
|
||
- [View all use cases](https://github.com/solutions/use-case)
|
||
+ BY INDUSTRY
|
||
- [Healthcare](https://github.com/solutions/industry/healthcare)
|
||
- [Financial services](https://github.com/solutions/industry/financial-services)
|
||
- [Manufacturing](https://github.com/solutions/industry/manufacturing)
|
||
- [Government](https://github.com/solutions/industry/government)
|
||
- [View all industries](https://github.com/solutions/industry)
|
||
|
||
[View all solutions](https://github.com/solutions)
|
||
* Resources
|
||
|
||
+ EXPLORE BY TOPIC
|
||
- [AI](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=ai)
|
||
- [Software Development](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=software-development)
|
||
- [DevOps](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=devops)
|
||
- [Security](https://github.com/resources/articles?topic=security)
|
||
- [View all topics](https://github.com/resources/articles)
|
||
+ EXPLORE BY TYPE
|
||
- [Customer stories](https://github.com/customer-stories)
|
||
- [Events & webinars](https://github.com/resources/events)
|
||
- [Ebooks & reports](https://github.com/resources/whitepapers)
|
||
- [Business insights](https://github.com/solutions/executive-insights)
|
||
- [GitHub Skills](https://skills.github.com)
|
||
+ SUPPORT & SERVICES
|
||
- [Documentation](https://docs.github.com)
|
||
- [Customer support](https://support.github.com)
|
||
- [Community forum](https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions)
|
||
- [Trust center](https://github.com/trust-center)
|
||
- [Partners](https://github.com/partners)
|
||
* Open Source
|
||
|
||
+ COMMUNITY
|
||
- [GitHub SponsorsFund open source developers](https://github.com/sponsors)
|
||
+ PROGRAMS
|
||
- [Security Lab](https://securitylab.github.com)
|
||
- [Maintainer Community](https://maintainers.github.com)
|
||
- [Accelerator](https://github.com/accelerator)
|
||
- [Archive Program](https://archiveprogram.github.com)
|
||
+ REPOSITORIES
|
||
- [Topics](https://github.com/topics)
|
||
- [Trending](https://github.com/trending)
|
||
- [Collections](https://github.com/collections)
|
||
* Enterprise
|
||
|
||
+ ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS
|
||
- [Enterprise platformAI-powered developer platform](https://github.com/enterprise)
|
||
+ AVAILABLE ADD-ONS
|
||
- [GitHub Advanced SecurityEnterprise-grade security features](https://github.com/security/advanced-security)
|
||
- [Copilot for BusinessEnterprise-grade AI features](https://github.com/features/copilot/copilot-business)
|
||
- [Premium SupportEnterprise-grade 24/7 support](https://github.com/premium-support)
|
||
* [Pricing](https://github.com/pricing)
|
||
|
||
Search or jump to...
|
||
|
||
|
||
# Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests...
|
||
|
||
Search
|
||
|
||
Clear
|
||
|
||
[Search syntax tips](https://docs.github.com/search-github/github-code-search/understanding-github-code-search-syntax)
|
||
|
||
# Provide feedback
|
||
|
||
We read every piece of feedback, and take your input very seriously.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Include my email address so I can be contacted
|
||
|
||
Cancel
|
||
Submit feedback
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
# Saved searches
|
||
|
||
## Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly
|
||
|
||
Name
|
||
|
||
Query
|
||
|
||
To see all available qualifiers, see our [documentation](https://docs.github.com/search-github/github-code-search/understanding-github-code-search-syntax).
|
||
|
||
Cancel
|
||
Create saved search
|
||
|
||
[Sign in](/login?return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fzevv%2FzForth)
|
||
|
||
[Sign up](/signup?ref_cta=Sign+up&ref_loc=header+logged+out&ref_page=%2F%3Cuser-name%3E%2F%3Crepo-name%3E&source=header-repo&source_repo=zevv%2FzForth)
|
||
|
||
Appearance settings
|
||
|
||
Resetting focus
|
||
|
||
You signed in with another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.
|
||
You signed out in another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.
|
||
You switched accounts on another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Dismiss alert
|
||
|
||
{{ message }}
|
||
|
||
[zevv](/zevv)
|
||
/
|
||
**[zForth](/zevv/zForth)**
|
||
Public
|
||
|
||
* [Notifications](/login?return_to=%2Fzevv%2FzForth) You must be signed in to change notification settings
|
||
* [Fork
|
||
57](/login?return_to=%2Fzevv%2FzForth)
|
||
* [Star
|
||
408](/login?return_to=%2Fzevv%2FzForth)
|
||
|
||
zForth: tiny, embeddable, flexible, compact Forth scripting language for embedded systems
|
||
|
||
### License
|
||
|
||
[MIT license](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/LICENSE)
|
||
|
||
[408
|
||
stars](/zevv/zForth/stargazers) [57
|
||
forks](/zevv/zForth/forks) [Branches](/zevv/zForth/branches) [Tags](/zevv/zForth/tags) [Activity](/zevv/zForth/activity)
|
||
|
||
[Star](/login?return_to=%2Fzevv%2FzForth)
|
||
|
||
[Notifications](/login?return_to=%2Fzevv%2FzForth) You must be signed in to change notification settings
|
||
|
||
* [Code](/zevv/zForth)
|
||
* [Issues
|
||
1](/zevv/zForth/issues)
|
||
* [Pull requests
|
||
2](/zevv/zForth/pulls)
|
||
* [Actions](/zevv/zForth/actions)
|
||
* [Projects
|
||
0](/zevv/zForth/projects)
|
||
* [Security
|
||
0](/zevv/zForth/security)
|
||
* [Insights](/zevv/zForth/pulse)
|
||
|
||
Additional navigation options
|
||
|
||
|
||
* [Code](/zevv/zForth)
|
||
* [Issues](/zevv/zForth/issues)
|
||
* [Pull requests](/zevv/zForth/pulls)
|
||
* [Actions](/zevv/zForth/actions)
|
||
* [Projects](/zevv/zForth/projects)
|
||
* [Security](/zevv/zForth/security)
|
||
* [Insights](/zevv/zForth/pulse)
|
||
|
||
# zevv/zForth
|
||
|
||
master
|
||
|
||
[Branches](/zevv/zForth/branches)[Tags](/zevv/zForth/tags)
|
||
|
||
Go to file
|
||
|
||
Code
|
||
|
||
Open more actions menu
|
||
|
||
## Folders and files
|
||
|
||
| Name | | Name | Last commit message | Last commit date |
|
||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|
||
| Latest commit History[141 Commits](/zevv/zForth/commits/master/) 141 Commits | | |
|
||
| [.github/workflows](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/.github/workflows "This path skips through empty directories") | | [.github/workflows](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/.github/workflows "This path skips through empty directories") | | |
|
||
| [forth](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/forth "forth") | | [forth](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/forth "forth") | | |
|
||
| [src](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/src "src") | | [src](/zevv/zForth/tree/master/src "src") | | |
|
||
| [.gitattributes](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/.gitattributes ".gitattributes") | | [.gitattributes](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/.gitattributes ".gitattributes") | | |
|
||
| [.gitignore](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/.gitignore ".gitignore") | | [.gitignore](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/.gitignore ".gitignore") | | |
|
||
| [LICENSE](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/LICENSE "LICENSE") | | [LICENSE](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/LICENSE "LICENSE") | | |
|
||
| [Makefile](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/Makefile "Makefile") | | [Makefile](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/Makefile "Makefile") | | |
|
||
| [README.md](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/README.md "README.md") | | [README.md](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/README.md "README.md") | | |
|
||
| [zforth.png](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/zforth.png "zforth.png") | | [zforth.png](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/zforth.png "zforth.png") | | |
|
||
| View all files | | |
|
||
|
||
## Repository files navigation
|
||
|
||
* [README](#)
|
||
* [MIT license](#)
|
||
|
||
[](/zevv/zForth/blob/master/zforth.png)
|
||
|
||
# zForth
|
||
|
||
From Wikipedia:
|
||
|
||
*A Forth environment combines the compiler with an interactive shell, where
|
||
the user defines and runs subroutines called words. Words can be tested,
|
||
redefined, and debugged as the source is entered without recompiling or
|
||
restarting the whole program. All syntactic elements, including variables
|
||
and basic operators are defined as words. Forth environments vary in how the
|
||
resulting program is stored, but ideally running the program has the same
|
||
effect as manually re-entering the source.*
|
||
|
||
zForth is yet another Forth, but with some special features not found in most
|
||
other forths. Note that zForth was written for engineers, not for language
|
||
purists or Forth aficionados. Its main intention is to be a lightweight
|
||
scripting language for extending embedded applications on small
|
||
microprocessors. It is not particularly fast, but should be easy to integrate
|
||
on any platform with a few kB's of ROM and RAM.
|
||
|
||
Also note that zForth is just *a* forth, but does not specifically implement or
|
||
care about any of the standards like ANS Forth - the kernel might or might not
|
||
behave as the standard, and the current standard library is rather limited.
|
||
|
||
For a lot of programmers Forth seems to belong to the domain of alien
|
||
languages: it does not look like any mainstream language most people encounter,
|
||
and is built on a number of philosophies that takes some time to get used to.
|
||
Still, it is one of the more efficient ways of bringing a interpreter and
|
||
compiler to a platform with restricted resources.
|
||
|
||
Some of zForth's highlights:
|
||
|
||
* **Small dictionary**: instead of relying on a fixed cell size, the dictionary is
|
||
written in variable length cells: small and common numbers take less space
|
||
then larger, resulting in 30% to 50% space saving
|
||
* **Portable**: zForth is written in 100% ANSI C, and runs on virtually all
|
||
operating systems and all architectures. Tested on x86 Linux/Win32/MS-DOS
|
||
(Turbo-C 1.0!), x86\_64, ARM, ARM thumb, MIPS, Atmel AVR and the 8051.
|
||
* **Small footprint**: the kernel C code compiles to about 3 or 4 kB of machine
|
||
code, depending on the architecture and chosen cell data types.
|
||
* **Support for multiple instances**: The compiler and VM state is stored in a
|
||
struct, allowing multiple instances of zForth to run in parallel.
|
||
* **Tracing**: zForth is able to show a nice trace of what it is doing under the
|
||
hood, see below for an example.
|
||
* **VM**: Implemented as a small virtual machine: not the fastest, but safe and
|
||
flexible. Instead of having direct access to host memory, the forth VM memory
|
||
is abstracted, allowing proper boundary checking on memory accesses and stack
|
||
operations.
|
||
* **Flexible data types**: at compile time the user is free to choose what C data
|
||
type should be used for the dictionary and the stacks. zForth supports signed
|
||
integer sizes from 16 to 128 bit, but also works seamlessly with floating point
|
||
types like float and double (or even the C99 'complex' type!)
|
||
* **Ease interfacing**: calling C code from forth is easy through a host system
|
||
call primitive, and code has access to the stack for exchanging data between
|
||
Forth and C. Calling forth from C is easy, just one function to evaluate forth
|
||
code.
|
||
|
||
# Source layout
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
./forth : core zforth library and various snippets and examples
|
||
./src/zforth : zfort core source; embed these into your program
|
||
./src/linux : example linux application
|
||
./src/atmega8 : example AVR atmega8 application
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
# Usage
|
||
|
||
zForth consists of only two files: zforth.c and zforth.h. Add both to your
|
||
project and call `zf_init()` and `zf_bootstrap()` during initialisation. Read
|
||
forth statements from a file or terminal and pass the strings to `zf_eval()` to
|
||
interpret, compile and run the code. Check the embedded documentation in
|
||
`zforth.h` for details.
|
||
|
||
`zforth.c` depends on a number preprocessor constants for configuration which
|
||
you can choose to fit your needs. Documentation is included in the file
|
||
`zfconf.h`.
|
||
|
||
A demo application for running zForth in linux is provided here, simply run `make`
|
||
to build.
|
||
|
||
To start zForth and load the core forth code, run:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
./src/linux/zforth forth/core.zf
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
And zForth will welcome you with the startup message:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
Welcome to zForth, 786 bytes used
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
zForth is now ready to use. Try some of the following:
|
||
|
||
Adding one and one or calculate the 144 squared:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
1 1 + .
|
||
144 dup * .
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Print the sine of 10 numbers between 0 and PI
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
: pi 3.141592654 ;
|
||
: demo pi 0 do i sin . pi 10 / loop+ ;
|
||
demo
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Load and run the demo Mandelbrot fractal:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
include forth/mandel.zf
|
||
|
||
.........................----.....................
|
||
.....................----+--......................
|
||
.......................--*-.......................
|
||
........................- --.....--...............
|
||
...........----........--%---------...............
|
||
............-------------#---------...............
|
||
.............------------ ---------...............
|
||
.............------------ ---------...............
|
||
..............---------o o--------..............
|
||
..............---------o =----------------------
|
||
.............----o-oo =o-=--------------..
|
||
...........-------# *------------.....
|
||
........--------=-= o-=--------.......
|
||
....--------------= =---------........
|
||
......-------------+ +---------.........
|
||
.......-------------=# %=-----------........
|
||
........--------=- -=--------.......
|
||
.......------= =------------
|
||
.....---o = = =-------
|
||
--------- --------
|
||
---------o+ +o--------
|
||
---------o =--------
|
||
---=#=# = = #=#=--
|
||
---= =--
|
||
-=- + + ==
|
||
o---oo*== -=*=o---
|
||
---------= =--------
|
||
---------#= =#--------
|
||
-----------% %------....
|
||
---...----= =% - #= =----.....
|
||
.......---=o----* =+*---------*+- *----o=----.....
|
||
........--------------------------------------....
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
# Tracing
|
||
|
||
zForth can write verbose traces of the code it is compiling and running. To enable
|
||
tracing, run `./zforth` with the `-t` argument. Tracing can be enabled at run time
|
||
by writing `1` in the `trace` variable:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
1 trace !
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Make sure the feature ZF\_ENABLE\_TRACING is enabled in zfconf.h to compile in
|
||
tracing support.
|
||
|
||
The following symbols are used:
|
||
|
||
* stack operations are prefixed with a double arrow, `«` means pop, `»` means push.
|
||
for operations on the return stack the arrow is prefixed with an `r`
|
||
* the current word being executed is shown in square brackets, the format
|
||
is `[<name>/<address>]`
|
||
* lines starting with a + show values being added to the dictionary
|
||
* lines starting with a space show the current line being executed, format
|
||
`<address> <data>`
|
||
* lines starting with `===` show the creation of a new word
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
: square dup * ;
|
||
: test 5 square . ;
|
||
test
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Executing the word `test`:
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
test
|
||
|
||
r»0
|
||
[test/0326]
|
||
0326 0001 ┊ (lit) »5
|
||
0328 031c ┊ square/031c r»810
|
||
031c 000b ┊ ┊ (dup) «5 »5 »5
|
||
031d 0007 ┊ ┊ (*) «5 «5 »25
|
||
031e 0000 ┊ ┊ (exit) r«810
|
||
032a 0133 ┊ ./0133 r»812
|
||
0133 0001 ┊ ┊ (lit) »1
|
||
0135 0019 ┊ ┊ (sys) «1 «25
|
||
0136 0000 ┊ ┊ (exit) r«812
|
||
032c 0000 ┊ (exit) r«0 25
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
This is the trace of the definition of the `square` and `test` words
|
||
|
||
```
|
||
: square dup * ;
|
||
|
||
r»0
|
||
[:/002c]
|
||
002c 0003 ┊ (:)
|
||
002c 0003 ┊ (:)
|
||
=== create 'square'
|
||
+0313 0006 ¹
|
||
+0314 02eb ²
|
||
+0316 0000 s 'square'
|
||
===
|
||
002d 0000 ┊ (exit) r«0
|
||
+031c 000b ¹ +dup
|
||
+031d 0007 ¹ +*r»0
|
||
[;/0031]
|
||
0031 0004 ┊ (;)
|
||
+031e 0000 ¹ +exit
|
||
===
|
||
0032 0000 ┊ (exit) r«0
|
||
|
||
: test 5 square . ;
|
||
|
||
r»0
|
||
[:/002c]
|
||
002c 0003 ┊ (:)
|
||
002c 0003 ┊ (:)
|
||
=== create 'test'
|
||
+031f 0004 ¹
|
||
+0320 0313 ²
|
||
+0322 0000 s 'test'
|
||
===
|
||
002d 0000 ┊ (exit) r«0
|
||
+0326 0001 ¹ +lit
|
||
+0327 0005 ¹
|
||
+0328 031c ² +square
|
||
+032a 0133 ² +.r»0
|
||
[;/0031]
|
||
0031 0004 ┊ (;)
|
||
+032c 0000 ¹ +exit
|
||
===
|
||
0032 0000 ┊ (exit) r«0
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Dependencies
|
||
|
||
The zForth core itself has no external dependencies, the linux example depends on libreadline-dev.
|
||
|
||
## About
|
||
|
||
zForth: tiny, embeddable, flexible, compact Forth scripting language for embedded systems
|
||
|
||
### Topics
|
||
|
||
[scripting-language](/topics/scripting-language "Topic: scripting-language")
|
||
[forth](/topics/forth "Topic: forth")
|
||
|
||
### Resources
|
||
|
||
[Readme](#readme-ov-file)
|
||
|
||
### License
|
||
|
||
[MIT license](#MIT-1-ov-file)
|
||
|
||
### Uh oh!
|
||
|
||
There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.
|
||
|
||
[Activity](/zevv/zForth/activity)
|
||
|
||
### Stars
|
||
|
||
[**408**
|
||
stars](/zevv/zForth/stargazers)
|
||
|
||
### Watchers
|
||
|
||
[**21**
|
||
watching](/zevv/zForth/watchers)
|
||
|
||
### Forks
|
||
|
||
[**57**
|
||
forks](/zevv/zForth/forks)
|
||
|
||
[Report repository](/contact/report-content?content_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fzevv%2FzForth&report=zevv+%28user%29)
|
||
|
||
## [Releases](/zevv/zForth/releases)
|
||
|
||
No releases published
|
||
|
||
## [Packages 0](/users/zevv/packages?repo_name=zForth)
|
||
|
||
No packages published
|
||
|
||
### Uh oh!
|
||
|
||
There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.
|
||
|
||
## [Contributors 14](/zevv/zForth/graphs/contributors)
|
||
|
||
### Uh oh!
|
||
|
||
There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.
|
||
|
||
## Languages
|
||
|
||
* [C
|
||
81.1%](/zevv/zForth/search?l=c)
|
||
* [Forth
|
||
15.7%](/zevv/zForth/search?l=forth)
|
||
* [Makefile
|
||
3.2%](/zevv/zForth/search?l=makefile)
|
||
|
||
## Footer
|
||
|
||
© 2026 GitHub, Inc.
|
||
|
||
### Footer navigation
|
||
|
||
* [Terms](https://docs.github.com/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-of-service)
|
||
* [Privacy](https://docs.github.com/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-privacy-statement)
|
||
* [Security](https://github.com/security)
|
||
* [Status](https://www.githubstatus.com/)
|
||
* [Community](https://github.community/)
|
||
* [Docs](https://docs.github.com/)
|
||
* [Contact](https://support.github.com?tags=dotcom-footer)
|
||
* Manage cookies
|
||
* Do not share my personal information
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
You can’t perform that action at this time. |