feat: add C API

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create singleheader.zip
         run: |
           cd build/singleheader
-          zip singleheader.zip merve.h merve.cpp
+          zip singleheader.zip merve.h merve.cpp merve_c.cpp
           mv singleheader.zip ../../singleheader/
-          cp merve.h merve.cpp ../../singleheader/
+          cp merve.h merve.cpp merve_c.cpp ../../singleheader/
 
       - name: Create release
         run: gh release upload "$RELEASE_TAG" singleheader/*

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ if(NOT MERVE_COVERAGE AND NOT EMSCRIPTEN)
 endif()
 
 install(
-  FILES include/merve.h
+  FILES include/merve.h include/merve_c.h
   DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}"
   COMPONENT merve_development
 )

README.md

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ A fast C++ lexer for extracting named exports from CommonJS modules. This librar
 - **Source Locations**: Each export includes a 1-based line number for tooling integration
 - **Unicode Support**: Properly unescapes JavaScript string literals including `\u{XXXX}` and surrogate pairs
 - **Optional SIMD Acceleration**: Can use [simdutf](https://github.com/simdutf/simdutf) for faster string operations
+- **C API**: Full C interface (`merve_c.h`) for use from C, FFI, or other languages
 - **No Dependencies**: Single-header distribution available (simdutf is optional)
 - **Cross-Platform**: Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows
 
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ target_link_libraries(your_target PRIVATE lexer::lexer)
 ### Single Header
 
 Copy `singleheader/merve.h` and `singleheader/merve.cpp` to your project.
+The C API header `singleheader/merve_c.h` is also included in the distribution.
 
 ## Usage
 
@@ -130,6 +132,95 @@ const std::optional<lexer_error>& get_last_error();
 
 Returns the last parse error, if any.
 
+## C API
+
+merve provides a C API (`merve_c.h`) for use from C programs, FFI bindings, or any language that can call C functions. The C API is compiled into the merve library alongside the C++ implementation.
+
+### C API Usage
+
+```c
+#include "merve_c.h"
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main(void) {
+  const char* source = "exports.foo = 1;\nexports.bar = 2;\n";
+
+  merve_analysis result = merve_parse_commonjs(source, strlen(source));
+
+  if (merve_is_valid(result)) {
+    size_t count = merve_get_exports_count(result);
+    printf("Found %zu exports:\n", count);
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      merve_string name = merve_get_export_name(result, i);
+      uint32_t line = merve_get_export_line(result, i);
+      printf("  - %.*s (line %u)\n", (int)name.length, name.data, line);
+    }
+  } else {
+    printf("Parse error: %d\n", merve_get_last_error());
+  }
+
+  merve_free(result);
+  return 0;
+}
+```
+
+Output:
+```
+Found 2 exports:
+  - foo (line 1)
+  - bar (line 2)
+```
+
+### C API Reference
+
+#### Types
+
+| Type | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| `merve_string` | Non-owning string reference (`data` + `length`). Not null-terminated. |
+| `merve_analysis` | Opaque handle to a parse result. Must be freed with `merve_free()`. |
+| `merve_version_components` | Struct with `major`, `minor`, `revision` fields. |
+
+#### Functions
+
+| Function | Description |
+|----------|-------------|
+| `merve_parse_commonjs(input, length)` | Parse CommonJS source. Returns a handle (NULL only on OOM). |
+| `merve_is_valid(result)` | Check if parsing succeeded. NULL-safe. |
+| `merve_free(result)` | Free a parse result. NULL-safe. |
+| `merve_get_exports_count(result)` | Number of named exports found. |
+| `merve_get_reexports_count(result)` | Number of re-export specifiers found. |
+| `merve_get_export_name(result, index)` | Get export name at index. Returns `{NULL, 0}` on error. |
+| `merve_get_export_line(result, index)` | Get 1-based line number of export. Returns 0 on error. |
+| `merve_get_reexport_name(result, index)` | Get re-export specifier at index. Returns `{NULL, 0}` on error. |
+| `merve_get_reexport_line(result, index)` | Get 1-based line number of re-export. Returns 0 on error. |
+| `merve_get_last_error()` | Last error code (`MERVE_ERROR_*`), or -1 if no error. |
+| `merve_get_version()` | Version string (e.g. `"1.0.1"`). |
+| `merve_get_version_components()` | Version as `{major, minor, revision}`. |
+
+#### Error Constants
+
+| Constant | Value | Description |
+|----------|-------|-------------|
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_IMPORT` | 10 | Found ESM `import` declaration |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_EXPORT` | 11 | Found ESM `export` declaration |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_IMPORT_META` | 9 | Found `import.meta` |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_STRING_LITERAL` | 6 | Unclosed string literal |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_TEMPLATE_STRING` | 5 | Unclosed template literal |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_REGEX` | 8 | Unclosed regular expression |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_PAREN` | 1 | Unexpected `)` |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_BRACE` | 2 | Unexpected `}` |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_PAREN` | 3 | Unclosed `(` |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_BRACE` | 4 | Unclosed `{` |
+| `MERVE_ERROR_TEMPLATE_NEST_OVERFLOW` | 12 | Template literal nesting too deep |
+
+#### Lifetime Rules
+
+- The `merve_analysis` handle must be freed with `merve_free()`.
+- `merve_string` values returned by accessors are valid as long as the handle has not been freed.
+- For exports backed by a `string_view` (most identifiers), the original source buffer must also remain valid.
+- All functions are NULL-safe: passing NULL returns safe defaults (false, 0, `{NULL, 0}`).
+
 ## Supported Patterns
 
 ### Direct Exports
@@ -243,8 +334,7 @@ cmake --build .
 ### Running Tests
 
 ```bash
-cmake --build . --target real_world_tests
-./tests/real_world_tests
+ctest --test-dir build
 ```
 
 ### Build Options

include/merve_c.h

@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+/**
+ * @file merve_c.h
+ * @brief Includes the C definitions for merve. This is a C file, not C++.
+ */
+#ifndef MERVE_C_H
+#define MERVE_C_H
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+/**
+ * @brief Non-owning string reference.
+ *
+ * The data pointer is NOT null-terminated. Always use the length field.
+ *
+ * The data is valid as long as:
+ * - The merve_analysis handle that produced it has not been freed.
+ * - For string_view-backed exports: the original source buffer is alive.
+ */
+typedef struct {
+  const char* data;
+  size_t length;
+} merve_string;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Opaque handle to a CommonJS parse result.
+ *
+ * Created by merve_parse_commonjs(). Must be freed with merve_free().
+ */
+typedef void* merve_analysis;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Version number components.
+ */
+typedef struct {
+  int major;
+  int minor;
+  int revision;
+} merve_version_components;
+
+/* Error codes corresponding to lexer::lexer_error values. */
+#define MERVE_ERROR_TODO 0
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_PAREN 1
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_BRACE 2
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_PAREN 3
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_BRACE 4
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_TEMPLATE_STRING 5
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_STRING_LITERAL 6
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_REGEX_CHARACTER_CLASS 7
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNTERMINATED_REGEX 8
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_IMPORT_META 9
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_IMPORT 10
+#define MERVE_ERROR_UNEXPECTED_ESM_EXPORT 11
+#define MERVE_ERROR_TEMPLATE_NEST_OVERFLOW 12
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * Parse CommonJS source code and extract export information.
+ *
+ * The source buffer must remain valid while accessing string_view-backed
+ * export names from the returned handle.
+ *
+ * You must call merve_free() on the returned handle when done.
+ *
+ * @param input  Pointer to the JavaScript source (need not be null-terminated).
+ *               NULL is treated as an empty string.
+ * @param length Length of the input in bytes.
+ * @return A handle to the parse result, or NULL on out-of-memory.
+ *         Use merve_is_valid() to check if parsing succeeded.
+ */
+merve_analysis merve_parse_commonjs(const char* input, size_t length);
+
+/**
+ * Check whether the parse result is valid (parsing succeeded).
+ *
+ * @param result Handle returned by merve_parse_commonjs(). NULL returns false.
+ * @return true if parsing succeeded, false otherwise.
+ */
+bool merve_is_valid(merve_analysis result);
+
+/**
+ * Free a parse result and all associated memory.
+ *
+ * @param result Handle returned by merve_parse_commonjs(). NULL is a no-op.
+ */
+void merve_free(merve_analysis result);
+
+/**
+ * Get the number of named exports found.
+ *
+ * @param result A parse result handle. NULL returns 0.
+ * @return Number of exports, or 0 if result is NULL or invalid.
+ */
+size_t merve_get_exports_count(merve_analysis result);
+
+/**
+ * Get the number of re-export module specifiers found.
+ *
+ * @param result A parse result handle. NULL returns 0.
+ * @return Number of re-exports, or 0 if result is NULL or invalid.
+ */
+size_t merve_get_reexports_count(merve_analysis result);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of an export at the given index.
+ *
+ * @param result A valid parse result handle.
+ * @param index  Zero-based index (must be < merve_get_exports_count()).
+ * @return Non-owning string reference. Returns {NULL, 0} on error.
+ */
+merve_string merve_get_export_name(merve_analysis result, size_t index);
+
+/**
+ * Get the 1-based source line number of an export.
+ *
+ * @param result A valid parse result handle.
+ * @param index  Zero-based index (must be < merve_get_exports_count()).
+ * @return 1-based line number, or 0 on error.
+ */
+uint32_t merve_get_export_line(merve_analysis result, size_t index);
+
+/**
+ * Get the module specifier of a re-export at the given index.
+ *
+ * @param result A valid parse result handle.
+ * @param index  Zero-based index (must be < merve_get_reexports_count()).
+ * @return Non-owning string reference. Returns {NULL, 0} on error.
+ */
+merve_string merve_get_reexport_name(merve_analysis result, size_t index);
+
+/**
+ * Get the 1-based source line number of a re-export.
+ *
+ * @param result A valid parse result handle.
+ * @param index  Zero-based index (must be < merve_get_reexports_count()).
+ * @return 1-based line number, or 0 on error.
+ */
+uint32_t merve_get_reexport_line(merve_analysis result, size_t index);
+
+/**
+ * Get the error code from the last merve_parse_commonjs() call.
+ *
+ * @return One of the MERVE_ERROR_* constants, or -1 if the last parse
+ *         succeeded.
+ * @note This is global state, overwritten by each merve_parse_commonjs() call.
+ */
+int merve_get_last_error(void);
+
+/**
+ * Get the merve library version string.
+ *
+ * @return Null-terminated version string (e.g. "1.0.1"). Never NULL.
+ */
+const char* merve_get_version(void);
+
+/**
+ * Get the merve library version as individual components.
+ *
+ * @return Struct with major, minor, and revision fields.
+ */
+merve_version_components merve_get_version_components(void);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}  /* extern "C" */
+#endif
+
+#endif /* MERVE_C_H */

singleheader/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 set(SINGLEHEADER_FILES
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/merve.cpp
   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/merve.h
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/merve_c.h
 )
 set_source_files_properties(${SINGLEHEADER_FILES} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
 

singleheader/amalgamate.py

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH = os.environ["AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH"]
 
 # this list excludes the "src/generic headers"
-ALLCFILES = ["parser.cpp"]
+ALLCFILES = ["parser.cpp", "merve_c.cpp"]
 
 # order matters
 ALLCHEADERS = ["merve.h"]
@@ -138,11 +138,20 @@ def dofile(fid: str, prepath: str, filename: str) -> None:
 
 amal_c.close()
 
+# Copy merve_c.h to the output directory (it is already standalone).
+MERVE_C_H_SRC = os.path.join(AMALGAMATE_INCLUDE_PATH, "merve_c.h")
+MERVE_C_H_DST = os.path.join(AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH, "merve_c.h")
+if os.path.exists(MERVE_C_H_SRC):
+    shutil.copy2(MERVE_C_H_SRC, MERVE_C_H_DST)
+    print(f"Copied {MERVE_C_H_SRC} to {MERVE_C_H_DST}")
+
 zf = zipfile.ZipFile(
     os.path.join(AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH, "singleheader.zip"), "w", zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED
 )
 zf.write(os.path.join(AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH, OUTPUT_CPP), OUTPUT_CPP)
 zf.write(os.path.join(AMALGAMATE_OUTPUT_PATH, OUTPUT_H), OUTPUT_H)
+if os.path.exists(MERVE_C_H_DST):
+    zf.write(MERVE_C_H_DST, "merve_c.h")
 
 
 print("Done with all files generation.")

src/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ message(STATUS "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE : " ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE})
 add_library(merve-include-source INTERFACE)
 target_include_directories(merve-include-source INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>)
 add_library(merve-source INTERFACE)
-target_sources(merve-source INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/parser.cpp)
+target_sources(merve-source INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/parser.cpp $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/merve_c.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(merve-source INTERFACE merve-include-source)
-add_library(merve parser.cpp)
+add_library(merve parser.cpp merve_c.cpp)
 target_include_directories(merve PRIVATE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}> )
 target_include_directories(merve PUBLIC "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include>")