Show HN: Hardbar – compile-time defined i3bar

[pjz]

A fast, compile-time-configured status bar for i3 and sway, outputting the i3bar JSON protocol.

I was worried about the performance of i3blocks due to the constant fork-and-execs, and I thought zig would make it easy to have a bar defined at compile-time.

I started on this idea a couple years ago but ended up somewhat stymied by lack of time to chase down some corners of zig syntax interaction. Recently I started playing with Claude Code, and I was curious as to how well it would deal with zig so picked it back up. It didn't take long to have something reasonably functional, and I thought others might like it as well.

Feedback welcome, Enjoy!