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Jai (programming language)
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| Jai | |
|---|---|
| Paradigm | Imperative |
| Designed by | Jonathan Blow |
| Developer | Thekla, Inc. |
| Typing discipline | Static, strong |
| OS | cross-platform |
| License | Proprietary (planned open-source release) |
| Influenced by | |
| C, C++ | |
| Influenced | |
| Odin, Zig | |
Jai is a high-level, statically typed, compiled programming language being developed by American video game designer Jonathan Blow and his company Thekla, Inc. Designed primarily as an alternative to C++ for game development, Jai emphasizes performance, compile-time metaprogramming, and simplicity.[1]
Development began in 2014. As of January 2025, the compiler remains in a closed beta release.[2]
Whilst not yet released, Jai has had an influence on other programming languages that have released during its development phase such as Odin and Zig.[2]
History
[edit]Jonathan Blow began developing Jai in 2014 while completing development of his puzzle game The Witness at Thekla, Inc. During The Witness's development, Blow became frustrated with C++, the language used to create the game. He has described modern C++ as "a terrible language" and was motivated to create Jai in order to improve the quality of life for programmers.[3][4]
Blow claimed that a programming language designed for games could increase development efficiency by more than 50 percent and make programming more enjoyable.[3] Following the release of The Witness, Blow began full-time work on the language and its development became the primary work of his company Thekla, Inc.[3] The language development coincided with a game engine written in Jai, for a sokoban puzzle game later titled Order of the Sinking Star.[3][5]
Development
[edit]Jai has remained closed-source with access restricted to an invite-only beta program. Blow has stated that the language and game engine will eventually be released as open-source software. In the December 2025 press release for Order of the Sinking Star, Thekla announced: "Not too long after the game releases, we will give out the engine for free as an open-source project."[6]
According to Engadget, Blow and his team use custom game engines for their projects, and Jai was developed concurrently with Order of the Sinking Star to test the language in a real-world application.[7] Game Informer reported that Blow "started developing this language, known unofficially as Jai, while finishing up development of The Witness."[8]
Reception and influence
[edit]The language has generated interest within the game development community, though its closed development model has limited independent evaluation. It has influenced subsequent programming language developments, with some of its design having been cited as an inspiration to features within the languages Zig and Odin.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Four Years of Jai". smarimccarthy.is. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ a b Bitshifter (2025-04-28). "Jai, the game programming contender". Bitshifters. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Ivy (2018-07-03). "Jonathan Blow: "C++ is a weird mess"". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ Forbes-Calvin, Alex (2018-07-03). "Jonathan Blow thinks he has saved coding with new language Jai". pcgamesinsider.biz. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ Earl, William (2025-12-12). "'Order of the Sinking Star' Puzzle Adventure Game From Jonathan Blow, Arc Games Set for 2026 Launch". Variety. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ "THE GAME AWARDS 2025 REVEALS "ORDER OF THE SINKING STAR" FROM ARC GAMES AND THEKLA, INC". Games Press. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ "Ten years after The Witness, Jonathan Blow's next massive puzzle game is almost ready for primetime". Engadget. 2025-12-12. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ Stewart, Marcus. "Order of the Sinking Star Preview - The Creator Of Braid And The Witness Reveals His Most Ambitious Puzzle Game Yet". Game Informer. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ Bitshifter (2025-04-28). "Jai, the game programming contender". Bitshifters. Retrieved 2026-01-07.