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Merge pull request #8 from gotchacode/zig-port
Port chatbot from C to Zig with comprehensive benchmarking
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‎.github/workflows/zig.yml‎

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name: Build & Tests
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on:
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push:
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branches: [ main, zig-port ]
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pull_request:
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branches: [ main, zig-port ]
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jobs:
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c-build:
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runs-on: ubuntu-latest
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steps:
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- uses: actions/checkout@v4
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- name: Build C version
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run: cd c && make clean && make
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- name: Test C executable runs
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run: cd c && echo -e "hi\npython\nexit" | timeout 5 ./chat || true
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zig-build-and-test:
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runs-on: ubuntu-latest
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steps:
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- uses: actions/checkout@v4
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- uses: goto-bus-stop/setup-zig@v2
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with:
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version: 0.15.2
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- name: Build Zig chatbot
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run: cd zig && mkdir -p zig-out/bin && zig build-exe src/main.zig -femit-bin=zig-out/bin/chat
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- name: Run Zig tests
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run: cd zig && zig test src/chatbot.zig
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- name: Test Zig executable runs
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run: cd zig && echo -e "hi\npython\nexit" | timeout 5 ./zig-out/bin/chat || true

‎.gitignore‎

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*.i*86
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*.x86_64
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*.hex
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# Zig build artifacts
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.zig-cache/
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zig-out/

‎BENCHMARK.md‎

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# Chatbot Build Benchmark Results
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Benchmark comparing C and Zig implementations of the chatbot.
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**System:** macOS arm64
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**Date:** 2026-01-12
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## Results
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| Metric | C | Zig | Difference |
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|--------|---|-----|-----------|
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| Build Time | 93ms | 710ms | Zig is 7.63x slower |
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| Executable Size | 33K | 1.3M | Zig is 39x larger |
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## Analysis
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### Build Time
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- **C (93ms)**: Fast compilation using GCC with minimal optimization
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- **Zig (710ms)**: Longer compilation time due to Zig's more comprehensive compiler
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The C version compiles significantly faster due to:
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- Simpler compilation pipeline
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- No build system overhead (direct gcc command)
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- Minimal type checking and analysis
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### Executable Size
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- **C (33K)**: Small, minimal runtime
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- **Zig (1.3M)**: Larger due to Zig's standard library and runtime
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The Zig executable is larger because:
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- Zig stdlib is embedded in the binary
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- More comprehensive runtime features
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- GeneralPurposeAllocator adds overhead
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## Notes
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- Both versions are unoptimized builds
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- C build uses `-std=c11 -Wall -Wextra -pedantic`
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- Zig build uses default optimization level
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- Times are from cold builds (no cache)
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## Running the Benchmark
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```bash
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./benchmark.sh
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```
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This will clean, rebuild both versions, and compare build times and sizes.

‎benchmark.sh‎

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#!/bin/bash
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set -e
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "Chatbot Build Benchmark"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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# C Version Benchmark
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echo "C Version Benchmark"
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echo "------------------------------------------"
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cd c
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echo "Cleaning..."
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make clean > /dev/null 2>&1
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echo "Building C version..."
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C_START=$(date +%s%N)
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make > /dev/null 2>&1
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C_END=$(date +%s%N)
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C_TIME=$(( (C_END - C_START) / 1000000 )) # Convert to milliseconds
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C_SIZE=$(ls -lh chat | awk '{print $5}')
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echo "Build time: ${C_TIME}ms"
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echo "Executable size: ${C_SIZE}"
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cd ..
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echo ""
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# Zig Version Benchmark
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echo "Zig Version Benchmark"
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echo "------------------------------------------"
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cd zig
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echo "Cleaning..."
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rm -rf zig-out .zig-cache > /dev/null 2>&1
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mkdir -p zig-out/bin
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echo "Building Zig version..."
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ZIG_START=$(date +%s%N)
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zig build-exe src/main.zig -femit-bin=zig-out/bin/chat > /dev/null 2>&1
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ZIG_END=$(date +%s%N)
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ZIG_TIME=$(( (ZIG_END - ZIG_START) / 1000000 )) # Convert to milliseconds
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ZIG_SIZE=$(ls -lh zig-out/bin/chat | awk '{print $5}')
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echo "Build time: ${ZIG_TIME}ms"
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echo "Executable size: ${ZIG_SIZE}"
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cd ..
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echo ""
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# Comparison
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echo "Comparison"
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echo "------------------------------------------"
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if [ $C_TIME -lt $ZIG_TIME ]; then
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RATIO=$(echo "scale=2; $ZIG_TIME / $C_TIME" | bc)
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echo "C version is ${RATIO}x faster"
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else
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RATIO=$(echo "scale=2; $C_TIME / $ZIG_TIME" | bc)
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echo "Zig version is ${RATIO}x faster"
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fi
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echo ""
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echo "Summary:"
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echo " C: ${C_TIME}ms, ${C_SIZE}"
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echo " Zig: ${ZIG_TIME}ms, ${ZIG_SIZE}"

Makefile renamed to c/Makefile

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gcc -std=c11 -Wall -Wextra -pedantic src/chatbot.c -o chat
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clean:
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rm -rf *o chat
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rm -rf *.o chat

src/chatbot.c renamed to c/src/chatbot.c

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src/chatbot.h renamed to c/src/chatbot.h

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‎example.c‎

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‎readme.md‎

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# Chatbot
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[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/vinitkumar/chatbot.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/vinitkumar/chatbot)
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A simple keyword-based chatbot with implementations in both C and Zig.
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Chatbot is a simple bot written in C. The base algorithm is that our conversation is based on keywords. The bot seaches for this keyword and present a suitable response on basis of that keyword.
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## Benchmarks
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## Installation
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### Build Time & Size
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Installation is very easy via `MakeFile` :
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See [BENCHMARK.md](BENCHMARK.md) for detailed build metrics.
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Just run:
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| Metric | C | Zig | Difference |
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|--------|---|-----|-----------|
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| Build Time | 93ms | 710ms | Zig is 7.63x slower |
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| Executable Size | 33K | 1.3M | Zig is 39x larger |
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Run build benchmark:
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```bash
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./benchmark.sh
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```
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chatbot ➤ make
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gcc src/chatbot.c -o chat
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### Runtime Performance
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Both versions produce identical output. Runtime measurements with test inputs:
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| Metric | C | Zig | Difference |
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|--------|---|-----|-----------|
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| Execution Time | 286ms | 526ms | C is 1.83x faster |
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Run runtime benchmark:
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```bash
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./run_benchmarks.sh
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```
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## Usage
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## Building
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### C Version
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After running `make all` you get a executable named as `chat`. Now run `./chat` and start chatting with the bot.
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```bash
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cd c
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make
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./chat
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```
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See `c/Makefile` for more details.
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## Demo
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### Zig Version
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```bash
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cd zig
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zig build-exe src/main.zig -femit-bin=zig-out/bin/chat
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./zig-out/bin/chat
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```
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chatbot ➤ ./chat
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$ Chatbot v1.0.0!
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$ (user) hi
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Or use the Zig build system:
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$ (chatbot) hello
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```bash
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cd zig
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zig build run
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```
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$ (user) python
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See `zig/README.md` for more details.
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$ (chatbot) Yo, I love Python
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## Testing
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$ (user) What
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### C Version
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$ (chatbot) It is clear, ain't it?
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No automated tests (original implementation).
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$ (user) exit
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### Zig Version
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```bash
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cd zig
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zig test src/chatbot.zig
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```
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## Issues and Pull request.
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Or:
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Feel free to create an issue if you notice a bug. Pull request are really
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welcome with good fixes.
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```bash
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cd zig
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zig build test
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```

‎run_benchmarks.sh‎

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#!/bin/bash
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set -e
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "Chatbot Runtime Benchmark & Testing"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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# Build both versions
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echo "Building both versions..."
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echo ""
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cd c
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make clean > /dev/null 2>&1
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make > /dev/null 2>&1
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cd ..
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cd zig
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rm -rf zig-out .zig-cache > /dev/null 2>&1
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mkdir -p zig-out/bin
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zig build-exe src/main.zig -femit-bin=zig-out/bin/chat > /dev/null 2>&1
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cd ..
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echo "Build complete!"
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echo ""
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# Test C version
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "C Version Testing & Benchmarking"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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echo "Running with test inputs..."
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C_START=$(date +%s%N)
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c/./chat < test_inputs.txt > /tmp/c_output.txt 2>&1
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C_END=$(date +%s%N)
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C_TIME=$(( (C_END - C_START) / 1000000 )) # milliseconds
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echo "Output:"
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cat /tmp/c_output.txt
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echo ""
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echo "Execution time: ${C_TIME}ms"
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echo ""
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# Test Zig version
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "Zig Version Testing & Benchmarking"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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echo "Running with test inputs..."
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ZIG_START=$(date +%s%N)
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zig/zig-out/bin/./chat < test_inputs.txt > /tmp/zig_output.txt 2>&1
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ZIG_END=$(date +%s%N)
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ZIG_TIME=$(( (ZIG_END - ZIG_START) / 1000000 )) # milliseconds
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echo "Output:"
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cat /tmp/zig_output.txt
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echo ""
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echo "Execution time: ${ZIG_TIME}ms"
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echo ""
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# Compare outputs
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "Output Comparison"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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if diff -q /tmp/c_output.txt /tmp/zig_output.txt > /dev/null 2>&1; then
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echo "✓ Outputs are identical"
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else
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echo "✗ Outputs differ"
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echo ""
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echo "C output:"
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cat /tmp/c_output.txt
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echo ""
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echo "Zig output:"
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cat /tmp/zig_output.txt
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fi
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echo ""
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# Runtime comparison
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echo "=========================================="
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echo "Runtime Comparison"
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echo "=========================================="
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echo ""
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if [ $C_TIME -lt $ZIG_TIME ]; then
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RATIO=$(echo "scale=2; $ZIG_TIME / $C_TIME" | bc)
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echo "C version is ${RATIO}x faster"
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else
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RATIO=$(echo "scale=2; $C_TIME / $ZIG_TIME" | bc)
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echo "Zig version is ${RATIO}x faster"
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fi
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echo ""
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echo "Summary:"
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echo " C: ${C_TIME}ms"
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echo " Zig: ${ZIG_TIME}ms"
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echo ""

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