name	zig-017-modernization
description	Use when writing, reviewing, migrating, or debugging Zig 0.17 code, especially build.zig, std.Io, std.process.Init, allocator, import, POSIX, and Darwin linker failures.

Zig 0.17 Modernization

Verify the active compiler with zig version, .zigversion, zigly --status, project scripts, or CI config before assuming a dev-snapshot API.

Use project wrappers first. Probe uncertain APIs with @hasDecl, @typeInfo, or compile-only snippets. Migrate one API family at a time and verify after each step.

Key patterns: modern std.process.Init entry points when required, std.heap.DebugAllocator when GeneralPurposeAllocator is unavailable, explicit .zig imports, module-first build.zig, std.Io.Writer, unmanaged collections initialized with .empty, errdefer before toOwnedSlice, and careful probing of std.posix versus std.posix.system.

On newer macOS/Darwin versions, prefer native-link project wrappers when Zig's internal linker fails after compilation.

name	zig-017-modernization
description	Use when writing, reviewing, migrating, or debugging Zig 0.17 code, especially build.zig, std.Io, std.process.Init, allocator, import, POSIX, and Darwin linker failures.