zeP – A Fast, Minimalist Package & Version Manager for Zig

Status: WIP Current Versions:

• 0.1 (2025-11-16) – pre-release [linux-issues]
• 0.2 (2025-11-17) – pre-release [linux-issues]
• 0.3 (2025-11-23) – pre-release [linux-issues]
• 0.4 (2025-11-30) – pre-release [linux-issues]
• 0.5 (2025-12-03) – pre-release

zeP is a fast, lightweight package manager and Zig version manager designed with simplicity, and comfort for the end-user. No "copy-this add it here", we handle everything for you. Just install packages, and manage Zig versions - quickly.

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Features

Package Management

• Install packages from:

  • Local zeP registry
  • Custom registry (your own .json package definitions)

• Automatic hash tracking for installed packages

  • prevents redundant installs
  • detects changes cleanly

• Smart package name resolution

  • detects typos using Hamming distance
  • shows suggestions when you mess up

• Resolving zig versions

  • stores zig versions of all packages
  • mentions mismatches with project

• Maintains:

  • zep.json (package definitions)
  • zep.lock (exact installed package state)

• Handles:

  • Adding packages
  • Removing packages
  • Re-writing package and lock files cleanly
  • Injecting into build.zig

Zig Version Management

• Install multiple Zig versions side-by-side
• Set a global version
• Automatically updates symlinks / shims
• Fetches official Zig releases

Cross-Platform Support

• Windows: fully operational
• Linux: functional but not thoroughly tested
• macOS: not supported — yet

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Why zeP?

zeP takes a different route then other package managers, like zigmod, zon, gyro or zig itself. Instead of importing packages using the built-in zig fetch, we fetch, and verify them independently via our own program.

This allows for fast installs, and fast caching. Furthermore, zeP uses an approach similar to pnpm, where installed packages are stored on a main folder within your system, and symlinked inbetween projects making installs very quick and efficient.

Also, because of this approach of installing projects, you simply know what you are typing. Our system allows for intellisense across the whole project, meaning that you get automatic function completion, and parameter declaration. Zzig fetch, leaves you guessing, no intellisense, no auto-complete.

Lastly, are you really not sick of adding garbage into your build.zig? First run $ zig fetch --save

Then, you have to manually add the dependency into your build.zig. Compatibility with your Zig version isn’t guaranteed.

That is not efficient, it is bad. We take EVERYTHING off your hands, you install whatever you want, ANY VERSION of our available packages, and we tell you whether or not it is compatible or not (yes, we checked all projects). Furthermore, we inject the imports within your build.zig, using a function. The function? A simple injector, no hidden code, or obfuscation, you can even view it within .zep/injector.zig, no secrets, only efficiencies.

Nobody wants one package manager and one version manager, these are too many managers. zeP handles both, so you can enjoy, and not worry about the other managers.

Still not convinced?

After zeP fetches any package via github, it does not store the zip file within the cache. Instead, we filter out all the bloat that is not useful to you, eg. the .github folder, tests/, examples/, or unimportant files such as .gitignore, .gitattributes, LICENSE, stuff that YOU dont need, will be discarded, and only then, will the folder be cached. Everybody hates bloat, we just got rid of it.

What about speed though? zeP, as mentioned, is pretty quick. We picked out the .zip files for every single project, and its version, which makes installs very quick. In the future we hope to store the already de-bloated files within a server, but that is a plan for the future.

Benchmark: [email protected] Install (Fresh VM, Kali Linux)

All tools executed on the same VM with identical network conditions.

Disk Footprint

Tool	Installed Size	Cache Size
zeP	136 KB	24 KB
zigmod	884 KB	—
zig	168 KB	—
zigp	168 KB	—

Performance

Tool	real	user	sys	CPU
zeP	0.41s	0.00s	0.01s	2%
zigmod	0.74s	0.08s	0.08s	21%
zig	0.61s	0.01s	0.02s	4%
zigp	1.0s	0.01s	0.04s	4%

Test Notes

• zigmod pulled the latest version defined in zigmod.yml
• zeP installed a specific version ([email protected])
• VM: Kali Linux, fresh boot, clean network cache
• Measurements collected using time

These numbers aren't meant to declare zeP the "winner." The point is to give a rough idea of its baseline overhead. As the project grows, more extensive benchmarks will be added (dependency trees, cold/hot caching, uninstall cycles, and remote registry latency).

Installation

Windows (PowerShell, as Administrator)

& ([scriptblock]::Create((New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/XerWoho/zeP/refs/heads/main/scripts/installer/installer.ps1')))

Linux

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/XerWoho/zeP/refs/heads/main/scripts/installer/installer.sh | bash

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Command Overview

Package Commands

Install a package

zep install <package-name>@<version>

• Looks in local registry
• Falls back to custom registry
• Suggests similar names if incorrect
• Updates hash & lockfile

Uninstall a package

zep uninstall <package-name>  # deletes from local project

zep global-uninstall <package-name>@<version>  # deletes globally

zep fglobal-uninstall <package-name>@<version>  # deletes globally forcefully

• Uninstalls package from local project
• Removes from manifest
• Deletes package if not used by any project

List package version

zep pkg list <package-name>

• Lists available versions of said package
• Includes corresponding zig version

Add a custom package

zep pkg add <package-name>

(if a package is not within our local packages, you can add your own! [unverified])

• Adds a custom package to customPackages

Remove a custom package

zep pkg remove <package-name>

• Removes a custom package

Custom Commands

zep cmd add

• adds a custom command

zep cmd run <cmd>

• run custom command

zep cmd remove <cmd>

• removes custom command

zep cmd list

• lists all custom commands

Purge

zep purge pkg

• Purges the packages from the local project
• Executes uninstall for all packages installed

zep purge cache

• Removes cached packages and hashes

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Zig Version Commands

Install a Zig version

zep zig install <version> <target>

• Target defaults back depending on system

List installed Zig versions

zep zig list

Switch active Zig version

zep zig switch <version> <target>

• Target defaults back depending on system

Uninstall a Zig version

zep zig uninstall <version>

Zep Commands

Install a zeP version

zep zep install <version>

List installed zeP versions

zep zep list

Switch zeP version [DO NOT USE FOR zeP {version < 0.3} => (soft-lock)]

zep zep switch <version>

Uninstall a zeP version

zep zep uninstall <version>

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PreBuilt Commands

Build a preBuilt

zep prebuilt build [name] (target)

• Builds a prebuilt with a given name (will overwrite if exists)
• Target falls back to ".", if not specified

Use a preBuilt

zep prebuilt use [name] (target)

• Uses a prebuilt (if exists)
• Target falls back to ".", if not specified

Delete a preBuilt

zep prebuilt delete [name]

• Deletes a prebuilt (if exists)

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Build Commands

zep build

• Runs build command

zep runner <args>

• Builds and runs your executeable, including the args

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Build a preBuilt

zep prebuilt build [name] (target)

• Builds a prebuilt with a given name (will overwrite if exists)
• Target falls back to ".", if not specified

Use a preBuilt

zep prebuilt use [name] (target)

• Uses a prebuilt (if exists)
• Target falls back to ".", if not specified

Delete a preBuilt

zep prebuilt delete [name]

• Deletes a prebuilt (if exists)

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Configuration Files

zep.json

Your project’s declared dependencies.

zep.lock

Exact versions, hashes, and metadata of installed packages.

Both are fully auto-managed. Direct editing is unnecessary unless you enjoy breaking things.

Init project

zep init

• Adds zep.json, zep.lock and .zep/ with starter values
• Inits own Zig project, with pre-set values

zep.lock file

zep lock

• Moves changed data from zep.json into zep.lock [root]

zep.json file

zep json

• Allows for modification of data within zep.json using terminal
• More reliable as changes will get automatically reflected onto .lock