No LLVM, no libc! This ultra-pure systems language Mach achieves full self-hosting and is looking for contributors

In the world of programming languages, relying on the LLVM toolchain and the C standard library has almost become the "standard" for systems-level languages. However, a new open-source project called Mach is breaking this paradigm. Recently, its creator announced on Hacker News that the Mach compiler has achieved a milestone of complete self-hosting (self-compilation), and the entire toolchain, from source code to executable, does not depend on any external libraries — no LLVM, no libc bindings, and even the historical bootstrap C compiler has been completely phased out. With an "ultra-pure" stance, Mach is dropping a bombshell on the systems programming world and is now officially recruiting community contributors.

Self-hosting success: the compiler's "ultimate exam"

For a compiled language, achieving "self-hosting" means that its compiler and core toolchain are entirely written and compiled in the language itself. This is not only a touchstone of language maturity, but also signifies that the project has shed its parasitic dependence on other language ecosystems. The Mach creator revealed that the team achieved this goal just two days ago. Previously, Mach required a historical bootstrap compiler (any C compiler would suffice to build it), but now the new version is completely "writing Mach in Mach" and produces the final binary, with all remnants of the bootstrap phase thoroughly cleaned up. This is a comprehensive validation of the Mach compiler's correctness and performance, proving its ability to independently build complex systems.

Zero-dependency architecture: security and control from scratch

Mach's most prominent feature is emphasized in its TL;DR description: absolutely no external dependencies in the entire pipeline, including LLVM and libc. Among mainstream systems languages, Rust and Zig rely on LLVM for code optimization and generation, while C is deeply bound to libc. Mach chose a harder path — implementing its own code generation backend and a lean runtime. This means developers do not need to install the massive LLVM framework on the host machine to directly generate native machine code. Without indirect calls through libc, Mach can directly interface with the operating system kernel, dramatically shrinking the trusted computing base and attack surface, while providing a natural advantage for bare-metal programming in environments without an OS. This "self-sufficient" architectural philosophy gives Mach enormous potential in building OS kernels, embedded firmware, and high-security scenarios.

Why do we need yet another systems language?

When asked this question, the Mach community points to a pursuit of absolute simplicity and auditability. Modern LLVM has swollen to hundreds of megabytes, with a fragile supply chain and slow compilation; libc has a long history but encapsulates hundreds of functions, many of which have become historical baggage. Mach seeks to return to the essence of systems programming: direct, transparent, and fully controllable. Although the language is still in its early stages, its design philosophy has already attracted many developers on HN — they yearn for a tool that lets them hold the entire weight of compilation in their own hands. With the self-hosted release, Mach is no longer just an experimental toy, but a solid foundation for exploring next-generation systems software.

Join this foundational software revolution

Currently, Mach is open source and open for contributions on GitHub (octalide/mach) and its official website (machlang.org). The creator has explicitly stated that the project is "looking for contributors" — whether it's language design, standard library implementation, documentation writing, or backend optimization, early participation will be an opportunity to deeply influence the future of low-level software. If you are a hacker passionate about compiler frontends, code generation, or operating system development, feel free to visit the project repository, compile Mach with Mach itself, and experience that geeky romance without any "outside stuff." We may be witnessing the sprouting of a brand new ecosystem.