Torvik

The standard library

Torvik's core builtins are always available — len, echo, string and list operations, files, and the rest. The standard library is the optional layer above them:

apply std;              // the whole library
apply std::math;        // or just one part

As of Torvik v1.5.0 it lives in its own repository with its own version line. It still ships with the toolchain, and rune update keeps it current — you don't install it separately.

What's in it

| Module | What it gives you | | --- | --- | | std::math | sign, isqrt, pow_checked | | std::strings | strip_prefix, strip_suffix, is_digits, is_alpha, count_str | | std::list | sort, reverse_list, index_of, contains_int, unique, join | | std::path | path_base, path_dir, path joining | | std::convert | to_hex, to_bin, from_hex, to_int | | std::net | A minimal opt-in HTTP layer, with binary-safe file serving |

The full reference, with every signature, lives in the repository: docs/STDLIB.md.

Applying one module pulls in only that module. Anything you don't use is dead-stripped out of the finished binary, so std::net costs nothing in a program that never serves a request.

Why it versions separately

Bundling a standard library with a compiler ties two schedules together that don't belong together. A useful addition to std::strings shouldn't wait for a compiler release, and a breaking change to a library function shouldn't force one.

So std carries its own semantic version. Your project can say what it needs:

[project]
name = "myapp"

std = "1.3.0"        # minimum standard library this project needs

If the installed library is older, the build stops with a clear message rather than failing somewhere strange.

Major versions are opt-in

rune will not move you across a major std version on its own. Within your current major it keeps you current automatically; when a new major appears it tells you:

Heads up: standard library v2.0.0 is available - a NEW MAJOR (you're on v1.3.0).
  Staying on 1.x, since a major version can break existing code.
  To move up, either pin it in torvik.rune:
      std = 2.0.0
  or run:  rune update --std-major --yes
  Silence this notice:  rune update --silence-std-major

Two ways in, and both are deliberate acts:

rune update --std-major          # check only - reports, installs nothing
rune update --std-major --yes    # install it, and record the pin for you

With --yes, rune writes std = <version> into your manifest so the project and the toolchain agree from then on. A pin in the manifest always wins — it's your project stating what it needs, and that outranks the safety default.

Going without

Some programs shouldn't have a standard library at all. A freestanding build has no operating system to support one:

std = no_std

apply std is then refused at compile time. The same happens automatically under torvc --bare — see the systems chapter.

Contributing

std aims to stay small, predictable, and dependency-free. It is written entirely in Torvik and uses only documented language features, so reading it is a reasonable way to learn the language on something real.

Contributing guide &rarr;

Learn more