ZILF

ZILF
Authoring system, Utility
ZIL compiler/tools
[[File:|class=ifwiki-infobox-image]]
Links	Home page Download
Developer	Tara McGrew
Format	Z-code
Interaction style	Parser
Systems	Windows, macOS, Linux
System details
Latest version	0.11.1 / 31 October 2025
Status	Stable
Implements
Uses
License	GPL3
Notes	A set of tools for working with the ZIL interactive fiction language, including a compiler, assembler, disassembler, and game library.
Browse 1 game written with ZILF
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ZILF is an open-source ZIL compiler, Z-machine assembler (ZAPF), base library, and related tools written by Tara McGrew. The name "ZILF" is currently reported to stand for ZIL Forever; in the past it has been said to stand for either Zork Implementation Language of the Future or The ZIL Implementation You Really, Really Like. It is written in C#, and runs under Windows, MacOS, or Linux. It takes ZIL source code and compiles it into Z-machine assembly code, which is then passed to ZAPF to make the final Z-code story file.

ZAPF

ZAPF (the Z-Machine Assembler Program of the Future) is an attempt at reconstructing Infocom's ZAP. Thus, by default, it uses instruction names and syntax that will be unfamiliar to Inform programmers. However, it supports both these classic (Infocom) and modern (Inform) instruction names and syntax.

; "Hello World" for ZAPF (V3)

GLOBAL::                        ; labels that must be defined
OBJECT::                        ;   even though this simple demo
WORDS::                         ;   doesn't use them
IMPURE::                        ; end of dynamic memory
VOCAB:: .BYTE 0,4,0,0           ; minimal dictionary
ENDLOD::                        ; end of low memory

        .FUNCT GO
START::                         ; entry point
        PRINTI "Hello, world!"
        CRLF
        QUIT                    ; game over once it returns

        .END                    ; end of input

Links

• ZAPF 0.1 (before ZILF, historical interest only)