Compilers targeting C
The following is a list of open source compilers that can generate C (or in some cases, C++) code.
| Name | Supported languages | Supported targets | Notes | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alumina | Alumina | C | Inspired by Rust | web repo |
| ATS | ATS | C | web | |
| BaCon (Basic Converter) | Basic | C | web | |
| bc9Basic | Basic | C | Can generate C or C++ code. Runs only on Windows but can generate code for *nix. A fork of BCX that outputs valid ISO/ANSI C. Website archive. | web |
| Bigloo | Scheme | C | Scheme (R5RS) | web |
| Blech | Blech | C | A synchronous programming language for embedded reactive real-time-critical software. | repo |
| bmx-ng | BlitzMax | C | A Monkey-derived BlitzMax to C transpiler. | repo |
| Carp | Carp, Lisp | C | A statically typed lisp, without a GC, for real-time applications. | repo |
| Cforall | Cforall, C | C | Extends ISO C and outputs augmented C code | web repo doc |
| Chapel | Chapel | C | web | |
| CHICKEN Scheme | Scheme | C | Scheme (R5RS) | web |
| Ciao | Prolog | C | web | |
| cito | Ć | C | A language for making portable libraries with a syntax like C#. Also targets Java, C#, JavaScript, ActionScript, Perl 5 and D. | web |
| CLiCC | Common Lisp | C | Compiles a large strict subset of Common Lisp + CLOS to C. | repo |
| Critical Mass Modula-3 | Modula-3 | C | repo | |
| Cyclone | Scheme | C | Scheme (R7RS). Cheney on the M.T.A. with native threads. | repo |
| Cython | Python | C | web | |
| Céu | Céu | C | web | |
| eC | eC | C | An object-oriented superset of C with modules and generics. | web |
| EiffelStudio | Eiffel | C | web | |
| Embeddable Common-Lisp | Common Lisp | C | ANSI Common Lisp | web |
| Emfrp | Emfrp | C | A pure functional reactive programming language for small-scale embedded systems. | repo |
| Emgo | Go | C | Compiles a subset of Go for 32-bit microcontrollers through C. | repo |
| Epic | Epic | C | web | |
| Esotope Brainfuck Compiler | Brainfuck | C | repo | |
| Euphoria to C Translator | Euphoria | C | web | |
| f2c | Fortran 77 | C | web | |
| Felix | Felix | C++ | repo | |
| FreeBASIC | Basic | C | web | |
| Futhark | Futhark | C | Purely functional data-parallel language generating OpenCL C | repo |
| Gambit | Scheme | C | Scheme (R5RS) | web |
| GCL | Common Lisp | C | web | |
| Genie | Genie | C | web | |
| GHC | Haskell | C | C backend documentation page. | web |
| GnuCOBOL | COBOL | C | COBOL 2014 with extensions | web |
| go2cpp | Go | C++ | Designed to help port Go to C++ | repo |
| GoLite | GoLite, Go | C++ | Transpiles a strict subset of Go | repo |
| Harbour | xBase, CA-Clipper | C | xBase compatible with CA-Clipper | repo |
| Haxe | Haxe | C, C++ | web | |
| Idris | Idris | C | A pure functional programming language with dependent types. | web |
| Ivory | Ivory | C | A Haskell eDSL for safe systems programming. | web |
| jhc | Haskell 98 | C | The resulting code doesn't use a garbage collector. | web |
| Kit | Kit | C | A statically typed procedural language with manual MM, traits, pattern matching, and metaprogramming designed with game development in mind. | web |
| Language84 | Language84 | C | web | |
| m | m | C, WebAssembly | It targets webassembly but actually it compiles to C and then requires to trigger manually clang to get webassembly | web repo |
| ManKai Common Lisp | Common Lisp | C | web | |
| matiec | ST, IL, SFC | C | A set of textual languages for PLC programming. (SFC: IEC 61131) | repo |
| mbeddr | mbeddr | C | A set of languages for embedded software engineering. | web |
| Mercury | Mercury | C | web | |
| MLton | Standard ML | C | web | |
| Monkey 2 | Monkey 2 | C++ | web | |
| Mrustc | Rust | C | repo | |
| NectarJS | JavaScript | C | The primary target is WebAssembly. How to compile to C. | repo |
| Nelua | Nelua | C | A statically-typed meta-programmable systems programming language heavily inspired by Lua. | web |
| Nim | Nim | C, C++, Objective C | web | |
| Nit | Nit | C | web | |
| NN-512 | NN-512 | C | Graph language. Generate C99 code for neural net inference. | web |
| Nuitka | Python | C | web | |
| nullc | nullc | C, x86, VM | It is a C-like programming language | repo doc |
| OBNC | Oberon | C | web | |
| ocamlcc | OCaml | C | Compiles OCaml bytecode to C. | repo |
| oi | oi | C | C with traits. Compiles to code that can be directly used from plain C. | repo |
| ooc | ooc | C | web | |
| OpenDylan | Dylan | C | web | |
| p2c | Pascal, UCSD, Turbo Pascal, Modula-2 | C, C++ | Supports several Pascal dialects, including UCSD and Turbo Pascal, Modula-2. | web |
| ParparVM | Java bytecode | C | Use for the Java to iOS portability part of the Codename One project. | repo |
| perlcc | Perl 5 | C | web | |
| prometeo | Python | C | Transpiles subset of Python | repo doc |
| PtoC | pascal, Turbo Pascal, Oregon Pascal, ISO Pascal, Sun Pascal, HP Pascal | C, C++ | Transpiles to readable code | repo |
| purescript-native | PureScript | C++ | repo | |
| Py14 | Python | C++ | repo | |
| Pythran | Python | C++ | repo | |
| QuickJS | JavaScript | C | Compiles JavaScript (ES2020) to bytecode and embeds the bytecode in C. | web |
| Ragel | Ragel | C, C++ | Compiles executable finite state machines from regular languages. | web |
| RPerl | RPerl, Perl. | C++ | RPerl, a restricted subset of Perl. Unrelated to RPython. | repo |
| RPython | RPython, Python. | C | RPython, a restricted subset of Python. Unrelated to RPerl. | web |
| Sather | Sather | C | web | |
| Scheme-to-C | Scheme | C | Example nanopass compiler | repo |
| Seed7 | Seed7 | C | web | |
| Shedskin | Python | C++ | repo | |
| SLua | Lua | C | repo | |
| SystemTap | SystemTap | C | SystemTap scripting language compiles kernel modules for monitoring Linux systems. | web |
| ThinScript | ThinScript | C, JavaScript, WebAssembly | A lower-level programming language inspired by TypeScript. ThinScript also compiles to JavaScript and WebAssembly. | repo |
| TMPPy | TMPPy, Python | C++ | Transpiles a subset of Python | repo doc |
| ts2c | JavaScript, TypeScript | C | Compiles a subset of JavaScript/TypeScript (ES3) to readable C89. | repo |
| TSP | Tcl | C | A typed subset of Tcl. An experimental JIT. Compiles procedures written in a statically typed subset of Tcl to C or Java to accelerate Tcl programs. | repo |
| UbxBasic | Basic | C, C++ | A fork of BCX that adds Linux support in addition to Windows. Uses Glib. | web |
| Ur/Web | Ur/Web | C | web | |
| V | V | C | A no-GC systems language with modern features like sum types and immutability by default. | repo |
| Vala | Vala | C | web | |
| Vostok | Oberon-07 | C, Java, JavaScript, Oberon | repo | |
| wasm2c | WebAssembly | C | Converts WASM files to C source and header. | repo |
| wasmdec | WebAssembly | C | Converts WebAssembly binaries to C. | repo |
| wax | wax | C, C#, C++, Java, Lua, Python, Swift, TypeScript, WebAssembly | A language design for transpiling. | web |
| Yaksha | Python | C | Transpiles "Python like" programming language to C | web repo doc |
| Zephir | Zephir | C | A language for writing PHP extensions. | web |
| ZZ | ZZ (Drunk Octopus) | C | A safe dialect of C for embedded systems inspired by Rust. | repo |
C macro languages
- C-Mera, a simple source-to-source compiler that transforms s-expression notation to code in a C-family language.
- LISP/c, a Common Lisp-based macrolanguage for C.
See also
- Cello, a library for high-level programming in C.
- Clue, an ANSI C compiler targeting high level languages (Lua, JavaScript, Perl 5, C, Java, Common Lisp).
- LLVM C backend resurrected.
- luastatic, a tool that builds standalone executables from Lua programs by embedding Lua code in C.
Contributing
Your contributions are welcome! Please submit a pull request or create an issue to add a new compiler to the list.
