zig-raylib-5.5

Zig raylib 5.5 Bindings Reference

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Install skill "zig-raylib-5.5" with this command: npx skills add rudedogg/zig-skills/rudedogg-zig-skills-zig-raylib-5-5

Zig raylib 5.5 Bindings Reference

Idiomatic Zig bindings for raylib 5.5, wrapping the C API with Zig patterns: error unions, optionals, slices, and defer-based resource management.

Version: raylib 5.5+ (raylib-zig bindings) Minimum Zig: 0.15.1

Critical: Build Configuration

build.zig.zon Dependency

.dependencies = .{ .raylib_zig = .{ .url = "git+https://github.com/raylib-zig/raylib-zig#main", .hash = "...", // Get from build error on first run }, },

build.zig Setup

const std = @import("std");

pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void { const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{}); const optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});

// Get raylib-zig dependency
const raylib_dep = b.dependency("raylib_zig", .{
    .target = target,
    .optimize = optimize,
});

const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
    .name = "my-game",
    .root_module = b.createModule(.{
        .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
        .target = target,
        .optimize = optimize,
    }),
});

// Add raylib module and link library
exe.root_module.addImport("raylib", raylib_dep.module("raylib"));
exe.root_module.linkLibrary(raylib_dep.artifact("raylib"));

// Optional: add raygui for GUI widgets
exe.root_module.addImport("raygui", raylib_dep.module("raygui"));

b.installArtifact(exe);

const run_cmd = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
run_cmd.step.dependOn(b.getInstallStep());

const run_step = b.step("run", "Run the game");
run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);

}

Import in Code

const rl = @import("raylib");

Critical: Basic Game Loop

const rl = @import("raylib");

pub fn main() !void { // Initialize window rl.initWindow(800, 450, "My Game"); defer rl.closeWindow();

rl.setTargetFPS(60);

// Main game loop
while (!rl.windowShouldClose()) {
    // Update game state here

    // Draw
    rl.beginDrawing();
    defer rl.endDrawing();

    rl.clearBackground(.ray_white);
    rl.drawText("Hello, raylib!", 190, 200, 20, .dark_gray);
}

}

Critical: Error Handling Pattern

All loading functions return RaylibError!T :

pub const RaylibError = error{ LoadFileData, LoadImage, LoadTexture, LoadRenderTexture, LoadFont, LoadFontData, LoadShader, LoadModel, LoadModelAnimations, LoadMaterial, LoadMaterials, LoadWave, LoadSound, LoadMusic, LoadAudioStream, // ... and more };

Use try for loading resources:

const texture = try rl.loadTexture("assets/sprite.png"); defer rl.unloadTexture(texture);

const model = try rl.loadModel("assets/character.glb"); defer rl.unloadModel(model);

const shader = try rl.loadShader(null, "shaders/effect.fs"); defer rl.unloadShader(shader);

Critical: Common Mistakes (WRONG vs CORRECT)

// WRONG: Importing raymath as a separate module const raymath = @import("raymath"); // CORRECT: Access raymath through the raylib module const rl = @import("raylib"); // then use: rl.math.clamp(), rl.math.lerp(), rl.math.matrixMultiply(), etc.

// WRONG: Importing rlgl as a separate module const rlgl = @import("rlgl"); // CORRECT: Access rlgl through the raylib module const rlgl = rl.gl; // or use rl.gl.* directly

// WRONG: Calling play as a method on sound sound.play(); // CORRECT: Use free function for sound playback rl.playSound(sound);

// WRONG: Calling crossProduct as a method on Vector2 const cross = v1.crossProduct(v2); // CORRECT: Vector2 crossProduct is a FREE FUNCTION only const cross = rl.math.vector2CrossProduct(v1, v2); // NOTE: Vector3 DOES have crossProduct as a method: v1.crossProduct(v2)

// WRONG: Using try on functions that don't return error unions const s = try rl.loadSoundFromWave(wave); const a = try rl.loadSoundAlias(sound); const img = try rl.getClipboardImage(); // CORRECT: These return their types directly (no error union) const s = rl.loadSoundFromWave(wave); const a = rl.loadSoundAlias(sound); const img = rl.getClipboardImage();

// WRONG: Expecting raygui button() to return i32 const result: i32 = rg.button(bounds, "Click"); // CORRECT: raygui button() returns bool if (rg.button(bounds, "Click")) { ... }

// WRONG: Passing const slice to raygui textBox rg.textBox(bounds, "text", 64, editMode); // CORRECT: textBox requires a mutable [:0]u8 slice var buf: [64:0]u8 = .{0} ** 64; _ = rg.textBox(bounds, &buf, 64, editMode);

Critical: Resource Management with Defer

Always pair load with unload using defer:

pub fn main() !void { rl.initWindow(800, 600, "Game"); defer rl.closeWindow();

rl.initAudioDevice();
defer rl.closeAudioDevice();

const texture = try rl.loadTexture("sprite.png");
defer rl.unloadTexture(texture);

const sound = try rl.loadSound("jump.wav");
defer rl.unloadSound(sound);

const font = try rl.loadFont("font.ttf");
defer rl.unloadFont(font);

// Game loop...

}

Critical: Type Initialization Patterns

Vector2, Vector3, Vector4

// Named init function const pos = rl.Vector2.init(100, 200); const pos3d = rl.Vector3.init(1, 2, 3);

// Static constructors const zero = rl.Vector2.zero(); const one = rl.Vector3.one();

// Anonymous struct literal (type inferred from context) rl.drawCircleV(.{ .x = 100, .y = 200 }, 50, .red); rl.drawCube(.{ .x = 0, .y = 0, .z = 0 }, 2, 2, 2, .blue);

// When assigning to a typed variable var target: rl.Vector2 = .{ .x = 400, .y = 300 };

Color

// Named colors (use directly) rl.clearBackground(.ray_white); rl.drawRectangle(10, 10, 100, 50, .red);

// Custom color const custom = rl.Color.init(128, 64, 255, 255);

// Color utilities const faded = rl.fade(.blue, 0.5); // 50% transparent blue const tinted = color.tint(.red); // Apply tint

Rectangle

// Full struct literal var rect = rl.Rectangle{ .x = 10, .y = 10, .width = 100, .height = 50 };

// Init function const rect2 = rl.Rectangle.init(10, 10, 100, 50);

// Collision check method if (rect.checkCollision(rect2)) { // Collision detected }

Critical: Drawing Context Pattern

All drawing must occur between beginDrawing/endDrawing:

rl.beginDrawing(); defer rl.endDrawing();

rl.clearBackground(.ray_white);

// 2D shapes rl.drawRectangle(10, 10, 100, 50, .red); rl.drawCircle(200, 200, 50, .blue); rl.drawLine(0, 0, 800, 450, .black);

// Text rl.drawText("Score: 100", 10, 10, 20, .dark_gray);

// Textures texture.draw(100, 100, .white);

Camera2D Pattern

var camera = rl.Camera2D{ .target = .init(player.x, player.y), .offset = .init(screenWidth / 2, screenHeight / 2), .rotation = 0, .zoom = 1, };

// In game loop: camera.target = .init(player.x, player.y); // Follow player camera.zoom += rl.getMouseWheelMove() * 0.1;

// Drawing with camera rl.beginDrawing(); defer rl.endDrawing();

rl.clearBackground(.ray_white);

{ camera.begin(); defer camera.end();

// Draw world objects (affected by camera)
rl.drawRectangleRec(player, .red);
for (enemies) |enemy| {
    rl.drawCircleV(enemy.pos, enemy.radius, .blue);
}

}

// Draw UI (not affected by camera) rl.drawText("Score: 100", 10, 10, 20, .black);

Camera3D Pattern

var camera = rl.Camera3D{ .position = .init(10, 10, 10), .target = .init(0, 0, 0), .up = .init(0, 1, 0), .fovy = 45, .projection = .perspective, };

// Update camera with built-in modes camera.update(.orbital); // Orbit around target // camera.update(.free); // Free movement // camera.update(.first_person); // camera.update(.third_person);

// Drawing 3D rl.beginDrawing(); defer rl.endDrawing();

rl.clearBackground(.ray_white);

{ camera.begin(); // or: rl.beginMode3D(camera); defer camera.end();

// Draw 3D objects
rl.drawGrid(10, 1);
rl.drawCube(.init(0, 1, 0), 2, 2, 2, .red);
model.draw(.init(0, 0, 0), 1.0, .white);

}

// Draw 2D UI rl.drawFPS(10, 10);

Input Handling

Keyboard

// Check if key was just pressed (single frame) if (rl.isKeyPressed(.space)) { player.jump(); }

// Check if key is being held down (continuous) if (rl.isKeyDown(.right)) { player.x += speed * dt; } else if (rl.isKeyDown(.left)) { player.x -= speed * dt; }

// Check if key was just released if (rl.isKeyReleased(.escape)) { showMenu(); }

Mouse

// Mouse buttons if (rl.isMouseButtonPressed(.left)) { shoot(); }

if (rl.isMouseButtonDown(.right)) { aim(); }

// Mouse position const mousePos = rl.getMousePosition(); const worldPos = rl.getScreenToWorld2D(mousePos, camera);

// Mouse wheel const wheelMove = rl.getMouseWheelMove(); camera.zoom += wheelMove * 0.1;

Gamepad

if (rl.isGamepadAvailable(0)) { if (rl.isGamepadButtonPressed(0, .right_face_down)) { // A button player.jump(); }

const axisX = rl.getGamepadAxisMovement(0, .left_x);
if (@abs(axisX) > 0.2) {  // Dead zone
    player.x += axisX * speed * dt;
}

}

Collision Detection

2D Collisions

// Rectangle vs Rectangle if (rl.checkCollisionRecs(rect1, rect2)) { // Handle collision }

// Circle vs Circle if (rl.checkCollisionCircles(center1, radius1, center2, radius2)) { // Handle collision }

// Circle vs Rectangle if (rl.checkCollisionCircleRec(circleCenter, radius, rect)) { // Handle collision }

// Point vs Rectangle if (rl.checkCollisionPointRec(point, rect)) { // Point inside rectangle }

// Point vs Circle if (rl.checkCollisionPointCircle(point, center, radius)) { // Point inside circle }

// Line vs Line (returns collision point) var collisionPoint: rl.Vector2 = undefined; if (rl.checkCollisionLines(start1, end1, start2, end2, &collisionPoint)) { // Lines intersect at collisionPoint }

3D Collisions

// Sphere vs Sphere if (rl.checkCollisionSpheres(center1, radius1, center2, radius2)) { // Collision }

// Box vs Box if (rl.checkCollisionBoxes(box1, box2)) { // Collision }

// Box vs Sphere if (rl.checkCollisionBoxSphere(box, sphereCenter, sphereRadius)) { // Collision }

Quick Reference

Named Colors: .white , .black , .ray_white , .blank , .red , .green , .blue , .yellow , .orange , .pink , .purple , .gray , .dark_gray , .light_gray , .gold , .lime , .sky_blue , .maroon , .violet , .beige , .brown , .dark_brown , .dark_green , .dark_purple , .magenta — or rl.Color.init(r, g, b, a) for custom.

Key Codes: .a -.z , .zero -.nine , .f1 -.f12 , .space , .enter , .escape , .tab , .backspace , .delete , .up /.down /.left /.right , .left_shift , .left_control , .left_alt

Mouse Buttons: .left , .right , .middle , .side , .extra , .forward , .back

Module Reference

Core

  • Core API - Window, input, timing, Camera2D

  • Drawing API - 2D shapes, textures, text, collision

  • 3D API - Camera3D, models, animation, shaders, PBR

  • Math & GL API - raymath (rl.math.* ), rlgl (rl.gl.* )

GUI

  • Raygui API - GUI widgets, styling, dialogs

Resources

  • Resources API - Loading/unloading patterns

Audio

  • Audio API - Sound, music, streaming

Examples

  • Code Examples - Complete example patterns

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