Comparing reflection capabilities of C++, Zig and C3

This compares how C++, Zig, and C3 support compile-time reflection for tasks like enum-to-string conversion, struct introspection, and attribute-driven validation. C3 is introduced as a C/C++-friendly systems language that marks compile-time code with a $ prefix and provides a macro system and tags/attributes for reflection. Examples show C3 enums carrying readable names and attached data, C3 macros iterating over enum values or struct members, and attrdef tags (e.g., @Range) that can be queried inside macros. C++ examples use upcoming reflection facilities (std::meta-like templates, enumerators_of, annotations_of_with_type) and static_assert-driven validation; Zig relies on enum methods, comptime functions/blocks, inline for loops and type-introspection builtins but lacks attribute-style metadata and macros.

The validation example highlights two C3 patterns: a fully compile-time validator annotated with @const, and a runtime validator that still reads compile-time tags, with $if vs if making the compile-time/runtime boundary explicit. The conclusion notes all three support real compile-time reflection but trade ergonomics for power: C++ is powerful but verbose, Zig is modern but lacks attributes, and C3 offers readable, expressive macros and explicit compile-time syntax. The author considers C3 promising and relatively stable, nearing 1.0, and recommends further exploration.