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+# Zig for Nova — User Manual
+
+This manual covers the task system. For installation, language-server, and
+debugging prerequisites see [README.md](README.md).
+
+---
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+- [Overview](#overview)
+- [Creating a task](#creating-a-task)
+- [Common options](#common-options)
+  - [Working Directory](#working-directory)
+  - [Optimize](#optimize)
+  - [Target](#target)
+  - [User Options](#user-options)
+  - [Build Arguments](#build-arguments)
+  - [Program Arguments](#program-arguments)
+- [Task templates](#task-templates)
+  - [Zig Package](#zig-package)
+  - [Zig Debug](#zig-debug)
+  - [Zig Test](#zig-test)
+  - [Zig Watch](#zig-watch)
+- [Automatic tasks](#automatic-tasks)
+  - [Current Zig File](#current-zig-file)
+  - [Discovered build steps](#discovered-build-steps)
+- [Recipes](#recipes)
+  - [Run a single executable](#recipe-run-executable)
+  - [Run with a custom step name](#recipe-custom-step)
+  - [Cross-compile to a different target](#recipe-cross-compile)
+  - [Pass custom -D flags](#recipe-d-flags)
+  - [Run specific tests](#recipe-tests)
+  - [Ziglings-style projects](#recipe-ziglings)
+  - [Debug a binary that isn't in zig-out/bin](#recipe-debug)
+- [Clean action](#clean-action)
+- [Inline issue reporting](#inline-issues)
+- [Settings reference](#settings)
+
+---
+
+<a id="overview"></a>
+## Overview
+
+The extension integrates with `zig build` at three levels:
+
+| Kind | How it appears | Configurable | Persistent |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **Task template** | Added by you in Project Settings | Yes — full config UI | Yes — saved in `.nova/` |
+| **Current Zig File** | Always present automatically | No | No |
+| **Discovered step** | One per step in `zig build --list-steps` | No | No |
+
+Task templates are the right tool when you need to control optimize mode,
+target, test filters, or program arguments. Automatic tasks are zero-config
+quick-launchers.
+
+---
+
+<a id="creating-a-task"></a>
+## Creating a task
+
+1. Open **Project Settings** (`⌘,` with a project open, or **Project →
+   Project Settings…**).
+2. Select the **Tasks** tab.
+3. Click **+** and choose a template from the Zig section.
+4. Fill in the options and close the panel — Nova saves the task automatically.
+
+Each task exposes up to three action slots that map to Nova's toolbar buttons:
+
+| Slot | Toolbar button | What it does |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Build** | ⌘B | Compiles without running |
+| **Run** | ▶ | Builds (if needed) and runs |
+| **Clean** | Broom icon | Removes build artifacts |
+
+---
+
+<a id="common-options"></a>
+## Common options
+
+Several options appear in more than one template. They are documented once
+here and referenced from each template section.
+
+<a id="working-directory"></a>
+### Working Directory
+
+| Field | Default |
+|---|---|
+| Working Directory | Workspace root |
+
+The directory from which `zig build` is invoked. Relative paths in other
+options are resolved against this directory. Leave blank to use the workspace
+root.
+
+Change this for monorepos or sub-package layouts where `build.zig` lives
+below the workspace root.
+
+<a id="optimize"></a>
+### Optimize
+
+| Value | Flag emitted | When to use |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Project Default** | *(nothing)* | Let `build.zig` decide (most projects default to `Debug`) |
+| **Debug** | `-Doptimize=Debug` | Development, debugging |
+| **ReleaseSafe** | `-Doptimize=ReleaseSafe` | Production with safety checks |
+| **ReleaseFast** | `-Doptimize=ReleaseFast` | Maximum performance |
+| **ReleaseSmall** | `-Doptimize=ReleaseSmall` | Smallest binary size |
+
+The flag is inserted immediately after `zig build`:
+```
+zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFast …
+```
+
+<a id="target"></a>
+### Target
+
+| Field | Default |
+|---|---|
+| Target | *(host)* |
+
+A Zig target triple such as `aarch64-macos`, `x86_64-linux-gnu`, or
+`wasm32-wasi`. Passed as `-Dtarget=<value>`. Leave blank to compile for the
+machine you are running on.
+
+```
+zig build -Dtarget=aarch64-macos …
+```
+
+See `zig targets` for the full list of supported triples.
+
+<a id="user-options"></a>
+### User Options
+
+A list of custom `-D` flags defined by the project's `build.zig`. Each entry
+can be either:
+
+- `key` — emits `-Dkey` (boolean `true`)
+- `key=value` — emits `-Dkey=value`
+
+Example entries and the flags they produce:
+
+| Entry | Flag |
+|---|---|
+| `verbose` | `-Dverbose` |
+| `n=42` | `-Dn=42` |
+| `healed-path=patches/healed` | `-Dhealed-path=patches/healed` |
+
+Entries that do not match the pattern `[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_-]*(=.*)?` are
+silently skipped with a warning in the Extension Console.
+
+<a id="build-arguments"></a>
+### Build Arguments
+
+Free-form arguments appended after the `-D` flags but before the step name.
+Use this for `zig build` flags that are not exposed as dedicated fields, such
+as `--summary all`, `--verbose`, or `-j4`.
+
+```
+zig build [-Doptimize=…] [-Dtarget=…] [-D…] <Build Arguments> [step] …
+```
+
+<a id="program-arguments"></a>
+### Program Arguments
+
+Arguments passed to the compiled program after `--`:
+
+```
+zig build … run -- <Program Arguments>
+```
+
+For the **Zig Debug** template these are forwarded to the debugger's launch
+request instead.
+
+---
+
+<a id="task-templates"></a>
+## Task templates
+
+<a id="zig-package"></a>
+### Zig Package
+
+> **Build → Run → Clean** a Zig package from a single task configuration.
+
+**When to use:** everyday development — building, running, and cleaning a
+package whose output is an executable.
+
+#### Actions
+
+| Action | Command |
+|---|---|
+| Build | `zig build [flags…]` |
+| Run | `zig build [flags…] [step] [-- program-args]` |
+| Clean | removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, `zig-out` |
+
+The Build action compiles without running (equivalent to `zig build` with no
+run step). The Run action builds *and* runs in a single `zig build` invocation
+— Nova does not chain them; `zig build` handles both internally.
+
+#### Options
+
+| Option | Type | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Working Directory | path | workspace root | See [Working Directory](#working-directory) |
+| Run Step | string | *(blank)* | Step name for the Run action. See below. |
+| Optimize | enum | Project Default | See [Optimize](#optimize) |
+| Target | string | host | See [Target](#target) |
+| User Options | string list | — | See [User Options](#user-options) |
+| Build Arguments | string list | — | See [Build Arguments](#build-arguments) |
+| Program Arguments | string list | — | See [Program Arguments](#program-arguments) |
+| Console | enum | Internal Console | Where to run the program |
+
+#### Run Step
+
+The step name appended to `zig build` for the Run action. Common values:
+
+| Value | Command produced | When |
+|---|---|---|
+| *(blank)* | `zig build` | Default install step — artifacts land in `zig-out/` |
+| `run` | `zig build run` | Project exposes a `run` step |
+| `serve` | `zig build serve` | Any custom step name |
+
+Leave blank if the project uses `-D` flags instead of a step name (Ziglings
+style — see [Recipes](#recipes)).
+
+#### Console
+
+| Value | Behaviour |
+|---|---|
+| **Internal Console** | Output appears in Nova's built-in console panel |
+| **External Terminal** | Opens macOS Terminal.app in a new window or tab |
+
+Use External Terminal for interactive programs that read from stdin.
+
+---
+
+<a id="zig-debug"></a>
+### Zig Debug
+
+> **Build → Debug** a Zig executable under lldb-dap.
+
+**When to use:** stepping through code, setting breakpoints, inspecting
+variables.
+
+The Run action always triggers a Build first (`buildBeforeRunning`), so the
+debugger always launches the freshest binary.
+
+Requires `lldb-dap`, discovered automatically via `xcrun` or `PATH`. Install
+the Xcode Command Line Tools if it is missing: `xcode-select --install`.
+
+#### Actions
+
+| Action | Command |
+|---|---|
+| Build | `zig build -Doptimize=<mode> [flags…]` |
+| Run | launches lldb-dap (build runs first automatically) |
+| Clean | removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, `zig-out` |
+
+#### Options
+
+| Option | Type | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Working Directory | path | workspace root | See [Working Directory](#working-directory) |
+| Program | path | *(auto-detected)* | Path to the executable to debug. See below. |
+| Optimize | enum | **Debug** | See [Optimize](#optimize) |
+| Target | string | host | See [Target](#target) |
+| User Options | string list | — | See [User Options](#user-options) |
+| Build Arguments | string list | — | See [Build Arguments](#build-arguments) |
+| Program Arguments | string list | — | Forwarded to the debugged process |
+| Console | enum | Internal Console | Where the debugged process runs |
+| Stop On Entry | boolean | off | Pause at the very first instruction |
+
+#### Program path auto-detection
+
+When the **Program** field is blank, the extension reads `build.zig.zon` and
+extracts the package `.name`. It then probes `zig-out/bin/<name>` relative to
+the working directory. If the file exists it is used automatically; otherwise
+the task shows a warning asking you to fill in the field manually.
+
+This works for the common case of a single executable whose name matches the
+package name. For other layouts — multiple executables, custom install
+prefixes, library packages — set the path explicitly.
+
+#### Console (debug)
+
+| Value | Where the debugged process runs |
+|---|---|
+| **Internal Console** | Nova's built-in console (default) |
+| **Integrated Terminal** | Nova's integrated terminal |
+| **External Terminal** | macOS Terminal.app |
+
+---
+
+<a id="zig-test"></a>
+### Zig Test
+
+> **Build → Run → Clean** tests via `zig build test`.
+
+**When to use:** running the project's test suite, optionally filtered to a
+subset of tests.
+
+#### Actions
+
+| Action | Command |
+|---|---|
+| Build | `zig build test [flags…]` |
+| Run | `zig build test [flags…] [--summary=…] [--test-filter …] [-- runner-args]` |
+| Clean | removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, `zig-out` |
+
+Both Build and Run invoke `zig build test`. The distinction is that the Run
+action additionally applies the Test Filter and Summary fields.
+
+Test failures surface as inline issues in the editor via the same
+`file:line:col: error:` pattern used for compiler errors.
+
+#### Options
+
+| Option | Type | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Working Directory | path | workspace root | See [Working Directory](#working-directory) |
+| Test Filter | string | — | Substring filter on test names. See below. |
+| Summary | enum | Default | Verbosity of `--summary`. See below. |
+| Optimize | enum | Project Default | See [Optimize](#optimize) |
+| Target | string | host | See [Target](#target) |
+| User Options | string list | — | See [User Options](#user-options) |
+| Build Arguments | string list | — | Appended after `zig build test` |
+| Program Arguments | string list | — | Passed after `--` to the test runner |
+
+#### Test Filter
+
+A substring of the test name. Only tests whose names contain this string are
+run. Maps directly to `zig build`'s `--test-filter` flag.
+
+```
+zig build test --test-filter "parser"
+```
+
+Leave blank to run all tests.
+
+#### Summary
+
+Controls how much output `zig build` prints about the test run.
+
+| Value | Flag | Output |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Default** | *(nothing)* | Zig's built-in default |
+| **All** | `--summary=all` | Every step result |
+| **Failures only** | `--summary=failures` | Only failed steps |
+| **None** | `--summary=none` | Silent on success |
+
+---
+
+<a id="zig-watch"></a>
+### Zig Watch
+
+> **Build** with `zig build --watch`, rebuilding automatically on file changes.
+
+**When to use:** tight edit–compile loops where you want continuous feedback
+without manually re-triggering the Build action.
+
+> **⚠ Known limitation:** Nova's issue matchers fire only on the first build
+> cycle. Errors found in subsequent automatic rebuilds will not appear as
+> inline annotations in the editor. Re-run the task (stop and start again) to
+> refresh the issue overlay.
+
+#### Actions
+
+| Action | Command |
+|---|---|
+| Build | `zig build [step] --watch [--debounce N] [-fincremental] [flags…]` |
+| Clean | removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, `zig-out` |
+
+There is no Run action — `zig build --watch` manages the build loop itself.
+
+#### Options
+
+| Option | Type | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Working Directory | path | workspace root | See [Working Directory](#working-directory) |
+| Step | string | *(blank)* | Step to watch. Leave blank for Zig's default install step. |
+| Debounce (ms) | number | *(Zig default)* | Milliseconds to wait after a change before rebuilding. |
+| Incremental | enum | Default | Force incremental compilation on or off. |
+| Optimize | enum | Project Default | See [Optimize](#optimize) |
+| Target | string | host | See [Target](#target) |
+| User Options | string list | — | See [User Options](#user-options) |
+| Build Arguments | string list | — | See [Build Arguments](#build-arguments) |
+
+#### Debounce
+
+Passed as `--debounce <N>` to `zig build`. Controls how long Zig waits after
+detecting a file change before starting a rebuild. Useful on projects with
+slow file-system events or many simultaneous saves. Leave blank to use Zig's
+built-in default.
+
+#### Incremental
+
+| Value | Flag | Effect |
+|---|---|---|
+| **Default** | *(nothing)* | Zig decides |
+| **On** | `-fincremental` | Force incremental compilation on |
+| **Off** | `-fno-incremental` | Force incremental compilation off |
+
+---
+
+<a id="automatic-tasks"></a>
+## Automatic tasks
+
+Automatic tasks appear in the task list without any configuration. They cannot
+be edited and are not saved in project settings.
+
+<a id="current-zig-file"></a>
+### Current Zig File
+
+Always present. Targets whichever `.zig` file is currently focused in the
+editor.
+
+| Action | Command |
+|---|---|
+| Run | `zig run <active-file>` (in the file's directory) |
+| Clean | removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, `zig-out` from the nearest ancestor directory that contains a `build.zig` |
+
+The Clean action walks up the directory tree from the active file until it
+finds a `build.zig`, then cleans that project root. If no `build.zig` is
+found above the file, it falls back to the workspace root.
+
+**Note:** there is no Build action — `zig run` compiles and runs in one step.
+
+---
+
+<a id="discovered-build-steps"></a>
+### Discovered build steps
+
+When the workspace contains a `build.zig`, the extension runs
+`zig build --list-steps` in the background and creates one task per step:
+
+```
+Zig Build: install
+Zig Build: run
+Zig Build: test
+Zig Build: bench
+…
+```
+
+Each task has a single **Run** action that invokes `zig build <step>` in the
+workspace root with no extra flags.
+
+#### How discovery works
+
+1. On workspace open (or task-list refresh), the extension stats `build.zig`
+   and `build.zig.zon` to capture their modification times.
+2. It spawns `zig build --list-steps` asynchronously — the workspace is usable
+   immediately; discovered tasks appear once the command finishes.
+3. The result is cached. The cache is considered fresh if:
+   - Both `build.zig` and `build.zig.zon` have the same mtimes as when last
+     fetched, **and**
+   - The cache is less than 5 minutes old.
+4. When `build.zig` or `build.zig.zon` changes on disk, the cache is
+   invalidated and `--list-steps` is re-run automatically.
+
+#### What steps appear
+
+`zig build --list-steps` executes `build.zig` with no `-D` options, so only
+the steps registered unconditionally by the build script are visible. Steps
+that are registered only under a `-D` branch (such as Ziglings' `zigling` and
+`random` steps) do not appear unless that branch is taken — and it won't be,
+because the discovery command passes no flags.
+
+Steps whose names are not valid identifiers (`[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_-]*`) are
+silently filtered out.
+
+#### Disabling discovery
+
+Some projects run expensive logic at the top of `build()` that you may not
+want triggered on every workspace open. Discovery can be turned off:
+
+- **Globally:** Nova Preferences → Extensions → Zig → Tasks → uncheck
+  **Discover Build Steps**.
+- **Per workspace:** Project Settings → Zig → Tasks → uncheck **Discover Build
+  Steps** (overrides the global setting for this project only).
+
+When disabled, the `Zig Build: <step>` tasks disappear; the
+[Current Zig File](#current-zig-file) task and all configured templates are
+unaffected.
+
+---
+
+<a id="recipes"></a>
+## Recipes
+
+<a id="recipe-run-executable"></a>
+### Run a single executable
+
+Create a **Zig Package** task.
+
+- **Run Step:** `run` (or the name your `build.zig` uses for the run step)
+- Leave everything else at defaults.
+
+The Run (▶) button compiles and launches the program in Nova's console.
+
+<a id="recipe-custom-step"></a>
+### Run with a custom step name
+
+Same as above but change **Run Step** to whatever `b.step(…)` name your
+`build.zig` declares:
+
+```zig
+const serve_step = b.step("serve", "Start the HTTP server");
+```
+
+→ set **Run Step** to `serve`.
+
+<a id="recipe-cross-compile"></a>
+### Cross-compile to a different target
+
+Create a **Zig Package** task and set:
+
+- **Target:** `aarch64-linux-musl`
+- **Optimize:** `ReleaseSmall`
+
+The command produced will be:
+```
+zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseSmall -Dtarget=aarch64-linux-musl run
+```
+
+<a id="recipe-d-flags"></a>
+### Pass custom -D flags
+
+Your `build.zig` declares:
+
+```zig
+const verbose = b.option(bool, "verbose", "Enable verbose output") orelse false;
+const port    = b.option(u16,  "port",    "Listening port") orelse 8080;
+```
+
+Add two entries to **User Options**:
+
+| Entry | Flag produced |
+|---|---|
+| `verbose` | `-Dverbose` |
+| `port=9000` | `-Dport=9000` |
+
+<a id="recipe-tests"></a>
+### Run specific tests
+
+Create a **Zig Test** task and set:
+
+- **Test Filter:** `parser` (runs any test whose name contains "parser")
+- **Summary:** Failures only (quieter output when most tests pass)
+
+<a id="recipe-ziglings"></a>
+### Ziglings-style projects
+
+Ziglings selects exercises with `-Dn=<number>` rather than a named step.
+
+For "run all exercises" use a **Zig Package** task with:
+- **Run Step:** *(blank)* — runs `zig build`, which hits the default `ziglings`
+  step
+
+For a single exercise use:
+- **Run Step:** *(blank)*
+- **User Options:** `n=42`
+
+This produces `zig build -Dn=42`.
+
+Alternatively, if you have step discovery enabled, **Zig Build: ziglings**
+appears automatically and covers the "run all" case with one click.
+
+<a id="recipe-debug"></a>
+### Debug a binary that isn't in zig-out/bin
+
+Create a **Zig Debug** task and set **Program** explicitly:
+
+- `zig-out/bin/my-tool` (relative to Working Directory)
+- or an absolute path
+
+When the field is left blank the extension checks `build.zig.zon` for the
+package name and probes `zig-out/bin/<name>`. If your binary name doesn't
+match the package name, set the path manually.
+
+---
+
+<a id="clean-action"></a>
+## Clean action
+
+Every template task includes a Clean action. It:
+
+1. Checks that the working directory is a real absolute path inside the current
+   workspace. Clean refuses to run if the path resolves to `/`, `$HOME`, or
+   anywhere outside the workspace root, and shows a warning instead.
+2. If the project's `build.zig` exposes an `uninstall` step (already in the
+   step discovery cache), runs `zig build uninstall` first.
+3. Removes `.zig-cache`, `zig-cache`, and `zig-out` with `rm -rf`.
+
+The [Current Zig File](#current-zig-file) automatic task's Clean action
+applies the same logic but targets the nearest ancestor directory that contains
+a `build.zig`, rather than a configured working directory.
+
+---
+
+<a id="inline-issues"></a>
+## Inline issue reporting
+
+Compiler and test errors are shown as inline annotations in the editor using
+the pattern:
+
+```
+<file>:<line>:<column>: error: <message>
+<file>:<line>:<column>: warning: <message>
+```
+
+This covers output from `zig build`, `zig build test`, `zig run`, `zig test`,
+and `zig fmt` (non-`--check` mode).
+
+`zig fmt --check` only prints filenames, not line numbers, so it does not
+produce inline annotations.
+
+For the **Zig Watch** template, annotations are populated from the first build
+cycle only. Subsequent automatic rebuilds do not update them — stop and restart
+the task to refresh.
+
+---
+
+<a id="settings"></a>
+## Settings reference
+
+Settings live in two places:
+
+- **Nova Preferences → Extensions → Zig** — global defaults for all projects.
+- **Project Settings → Zig** — workspace-specific overrides. These take
+  precedence over the global settings for the open project.
+
+### Tooling
+
+| Setting | Description |
+|---|---|
+| Zig Executable | Absolute path to `zig`. Leave blank to discover from `PATH`. |
+| ZLS Executable | Absolute path to `zls`. Leave blank to discover from `PATH`. |
+| LLDB DAP Executable | Absolute path to `lldb-dap`. Leave blank to discover via `xcrun` or `PATH`. |
+
+### Language Server
+
+| Setting | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| Enable ZLS | on | Enable diagnostics, completion, hover, go-to-definition, and formatting via ZLS. |
+| Build On Save | off | Allow ZLS to run its build/check runner when you save a file. |
+| Debug Server Messages | off | Log ZLS protocol traffic to the Extension Console (for troubleshooting). |
+
+### Debug Adapter
+
+| Setting | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| Enable Proxy Log | off | Write lldb-dap proxy traffic to a log file. For extension development only. |
+
+### Tasks
+
+| Setting | Default | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| Discover Build Steps | on | Run `zig build --list-steps` and surface each step as a task. Disable for projects where executing `build.zig` on activation is undesirable. |