V: Simple, Fast, Safe

What Exactly is V?

Computers only understand zeros and ones. They do not understand English. When you write code, you need a "translator" to turn your words into computer language. This translator is called a compiler.

V is both a programming language (the words you write) and a compiler (the translator). It was built from the ground up to be the fastest translator in the world, while making sure the words you write are as simple as possible.

1. You write simple code

2. The V Compiler reads it

3. Fast computer binary is created

The Speed of Sound

When working with older languages like C++ or Rust, developers often wait minutes (or hours) for their code to be translated. V translates about 1 million lines of code per second.

Time to Build a Large Program

Older Languages (C++, Rust) Minutes

Modern Languages (Go) Seconds

The V Language Less than 1 second

<-- Instant

Easy to Read, Easy to Write

Some languages give you 10 different ways to do the exact same thing. This makes reading other people's code very confusing. V has a strict rule: There should be only one way to do things. This means a beginner can look at advanced code and still understand what is going on.

Other Languages

// Lots of extra symbols and confusing rules std::vector numbers = {1, 2, 3}; for(std::vector::iterator it = numbers.begin(); it != numbers.end(); ++it) { std::cout << *it << std::endl; }

V Language

// Clean, simple, easy to read words numbers := for number in numbers { println(number) }

Safety First: No More Crashes

A "bug" is a mistake in your code that makes the program crash. V is designed to act like a strict editor. It looks at your code and blocks you from making common mistakes before the program even runs.

No "Null" Errors

Most crashes happen when a program looks for data that doesn't exist. V simply does not allow empty data by default.

No Global Variables

Global variables are data that any part of the program can change secretly. V blocks this so your data stays safe.

Variables are Locked

Once you set a value in V, it cannot be changed by accident. You have to ask permission to change it later.

No "Undefined"

V forces you to give every piece of data a clear starting value. No guessing allowed.

Safe Math

If a number gets too big for the computer to handle, V stops it safely instead of breaking the system.

Built-in Checks

When moving data around, V always double-checks to make sure the data actually fits in its new home.

One Small File. No Junk.

If you want to build a website with other languages, you usually have to download hundreds of heavy folders from the internet. This is called having "dependencies." It makes your computer slow and takes up space.

V is different. The entire language, the translator, and all its tools are packed into one single file. It is so small, it fits on a floppy disk.

Standard Node.js Project

1,000+ files

300 MB

The Entire V Compiler

1 file. No internet needed.

2 MB

What Can You Build?

Because V is so fast and creates very small programs, it can be used for almost anything. It is known as a "Systems Programming Language," which means it gives you deep control over the computer.

Web Servers

Build the hidden engines that power websites. V can handle thousands of users clicking at the same time without slowing down.

Video Games

Games need to draw pictures on the screen 60 times every second. V is fast enough to do this smoothly.

Desktop Apps

Create tools like calculators, text editors, or music players that open instantly when you click them.

Operating Systems

V is powerful enough to talk directly to the computer's physical chips, making it great for hardware.

Taking Out The Trash Automatically

Program Creates Data

Data is Used

V Cleans It Up Instantly

When a program runs, it creates data. When it is done with that data, it needs to throw it away to save space. If it doesn't throw it away, the computer fills up with trash and crashes. This is called a "Memory Leak".

Older languages make the human developer manually throw away the trash. This leads to mistakes. Some modern languages use a "Garbage Collector"—a robot that pauses your program to clean up the trash. But pausing the program makes things slow.

V fixes this. It looks at your code and automatically inserts the "throw away" commands for you. No memory leaks. No slow robots. Just pure speed.

Everything in One Toolbox

Usually, developers have to install a testing program, a formatting program, and a package program. V says: "No." Everything you will ever need is built directly into the one simple V command.

v run

Run Code Instantly

Translates and starts your program in less than a second.

v fmt

Auto-Fix Messy Code

Automatically spaces out your words so everything looks neat and clean.

v test

Test For Mistakes

Runs checks to make sure your logic works perfectly before you share it.

v doc

Create Manuals

Automatically reads your code and builds a website explaining how it works.

Start Using V in 60 Seconds

1

Download

Because V is tiny, you just download a folder from the internet. No heavy installers required.

git clone https://github.com/vlang/v

2

Build V

Tell V to build itself. This sounds like magic, but it works, and it takes about 1 second.

cd v && make

3

Run Code

Create a simple text file called hello.v and tell the tool to run it.

./v run hello.v

Build for Any Device, From Any Device

Usually, if you want to make a program for a Windows computer, you have to use a Windows computer to build it. If you want a Mac program, you need a Mac. V destroys this rule. You can use your Mac to create a Windows program instantly with just one simple command.

v -os windows app.v

Windows .exe

Mac App (Skipped)

Linux App (Skipped)

Doing Many Things at Once

Modern computers have many "brains" inside them (called cores). Most older programming languages only use one brain at a time. This makes your program wait in line to finish tasks.

V allows you to use all the computer's brains at exactly the same time. You just write the word spawn in front of your task, and V handles all the complicated traffic control for you.

The Old Way: Waiting in Line

Waiting...

The V Way: All Brains Working

Change Code Without Restarting

When building a game or a visual app, changing the color of a button usually means you have to turn the app off, wait for it to rebuild, and turn it back on. V lets you change the code while the program is still running. You save the file, and the app updates in front of your eyes instantly.

1. You type here

button_color := "blue"

2. App Updates Instantly

Click Me

Upgrade Old Code Automatically

Much of the world's software runs on old, hard-to-read code written in a language called C. Updating this old code by hand could take years.

V has a magic trick built in. It can read old C code and automatically translate it into fresh, safe, and modern V code.

char* name = malloc(10);
strcpy(name, "John");

name := 'John'

Plays Well With Old Code

If you don't want to translate your old C code, you don't have to. You can just plug it directly into V. Most languages require you to write confusing "bridge" code to talk to C. V talks to C natively, exactly like it is talking to itself.

V Code Fast & Safe

C Code Old Systems

Everything Included in the Box

When you download V, you don't just get the language. You get a massive toolkit included for free. You don't need to scour the internet looking for third-party tools to do basic tasks; it is all built-in.

Web Tools

HTTP, Websockets

Data Tools

JSON, CSV, Database

Security Tools

Crypto, Hashing

Math Tools

Fractions, Geometry

Draw on the Screen Easily

gg.draw_rect(...)

In most computer languages, opening a simple window and drawing a red square takes hundreds of lines of complicated setup code.

V comes with built-in graphics tools right out of the box. You can open a window, draw shapes, display images, and even create 3D worlds in just a few simple lines of code.

Run Your Program Inside a Website

Websites usually rely on slower languages like JavaScript. But what if you want to run a heavy video game or a photo editor inside a web browser? V can compile your program into "WebAssembly" (WASM). This lets your lightning-fast V code run directly inside Chrome, Safari, or Firefox without the user downloading anything.

Your V Program

https://your-website.com

Running at Native Speed

Catching Problems Early

Programs crash when they hit a problem they don't have a plan for. For example, what if it tries to open a file that was deleted? In old languages, this throws a surprise "Exception" and the app dies instantly.

V does not have surprise exceptions. If a task might fail, V forces you to write a backup plan using the word or. If you don't write the backup plan, V refuses to build the code.

file := open('data.txt') or { ... }

Success! File Opens.

File Missing. Plan B Runs.

Share and Find New Tools

If you need a very specific tool that isn't built into V, you can easily download code shared by other people. This is done through the V Package Manager (VPM). It lets you safely add new abilities to your project with a single line of text.

➜ v install markdown

Downloading package 'markdown' from VPM...

✔ Installed successfully. Ready to use.

A Language That is Growing Fast

V is still young, but it is moving forward quickly. The creators are always adding new rules to make sure your code is safe, while making sure the compiler stays as fast as lightning.

Constantly Improving

The Final Summary

Feature	What It Means For You
Speed	Your program builds in less than a second. No more waiting.
Simple Grammar	Only one way to write logic. Easy to read your teammate's work.
Zero Dependencies	Just one tiny file. No downloading huge folders from the internet.
Safe by Default	Blocks you from making simple mistakes that cause crashes.
Auto Memory	Cleans up computer trash automatically without slowing the program down.

Standard Node.js Project

The Entire V Compiler

Run Code Instantly

Auto-Fix Messy Code

Test For Mistakes

Create Manuals

The Old Way: Waiting in Line

The V Way: All Brains Working

More in this series

Data Management

Systems Programming

Data Science

Scientific Computing

Graphics Programming

Game Development

Hardware Design

Enterprise & Backend

Web Development

Mobile Development

Scripting & Automation