GUI and Windowed

Console-less applications

On Windows, a standard executable opens a terminal window when launched. For desktop apps that use a native window (via winit/wgpu, for example), this is undesirable. The --windowed flag (or its alias --gui) links the .zex against the Windows GUI subsystem, suppressing the console window:

--standalone --windowed generates a console-free .zex on Windows; on other platforms the flag is accepted but has no visible effect.

04-windowed-gui.zolo

Playground

// Feature: console-free GUI build — `--windowed` / `--gui`
// Syntax: `zolo build file.zolo --emit zex --standalone --windowed`
// When to use: ship a desktop/GUI app on Windows that should NOT pop up
//   a console window when launched.

// Run (Windows):
//   zolo build 31-distribution/04-windowed-gui.zolo --emit zex --standalone --windowed
//   # `--gui` is an alias for `--windowed`.
//
// `--windowed` builds a standalone Windows `.zex` linked against the GUI
// subsystem, so double-clicking it opens no console window. On other
// platforms the flag is accepted but a console app is the norm.
//
// You can also set this in zolo.toml instead of passing the flag:
//   [build]
//   gui = true

// A GUI program typically opens a window (winit/wgpu) rather than printing.
// This stub just shows the build invocation; for a real window see the
// graphics examples under ../../../examples/.
print("Built as a windowed app — no console on Windows.")

// expected (when run from a terminal): the line above.

Requires the Zolo CLI/host — open in the playground or run locally.

The same setting can be defined in zolo.toml to avoid passing the flag on every build:

[build]
gui = true

Running ready-made files

The zolo run command accepts both .zolo source files and already-compiled .zex or .zar files — it detects the format automatically and loads the embedded bytecode. This is the consumer side of the distribution workflow: the author delivers the .zex, and the user runs it without needing the source:

zolo run app.zex executes the packaged bytecode — no source needed.

05-run-archive.zolo

Playground

// Feature: run a built archive — `zolo run <archive>`
// Syntax: `zolo run app.zex`  |  `zolo run lib.zar`
// When to use: execute a `.zex`/`.zar` you (or someone else) built,
//   without rebuilding from source.

// Workflow:
//   zolo build 31-distribution/05-run-archive.zolo --emit zex
//   zolo run   target/05-run-archive-0.0.0.zex
//
// `zolo run` accepts a `.zolo` source file OR a prebuilt `.zex`/`.zar`
// archive — it detects the format and loads the embedded bytecode. This
// is the consumer side of the distribution flow:
//
//   author:   zolo build app.zolo --emit zex   (produces app.zex)
//   consumer: zolo run app.zex                 (no source needed)

let parts = ["dist", "ribut", "ion"]
print(parts.join(""))

// expected: distribution

Requires the Zolo CLI/host — open in the playground or run locally.

Challenge

Compile 05-run-archive.zolo with --emit zex and then run the generated .zex with zolo run. Confirm that the output is distribution without recompiling.