STClike

STClike is a term used in programming-language discussions to describe a family of languages that adopt a C-like syntax while embracing design principles associated with the STC family. It is not a single formal language but a category used to refer to several projects that aim for high performance, low-level control, and interoperability with C code.

Common characteristics include a braces-delimited block structure, semicolon-terminated statements, static typing, and explicit memory management options. STClike languages often provide procedural and modular programming facilities, with support for structs or record types, and sometimes generic or parametric types. They may offer both safe subsets and full-featured capabilities for systems programming, such as direct hardware access, pointer manipulation, and manual memory management, balanced by optional safety features such as bounds checking or safe interfaces.

Concerning pragmatics, implementations tend to target embedded systems, real-time software, or performance-critical applications. Toolchains emphasize cross-compilation, predictable resource usage, and compatibility with existing C libraries. Because STClike support is not standardized, different projects vary in syntax details, standard libraries, and runtime behavior.

Example: a simple function to add two integers, written in a STClike style, might look like: int add(int a, int b) { return a + b; }

See also: C, C-like languages, Structured Text, IEC 61131-3.