Moonstone: Modern, cross-platform Lua runtime and package manager written in Zig (moonstone.sh)

I like the idea for this project, but not a huge fan of the AI-written docs.

What is the current state of the art lua toolchain? Lua is king for dsl embedded in other software.

Used it for world of warcraft scripting and openresty http rules, that’s a wide range.

Author here.

Quick clarification because the HN title is easy to misread:

Moonstone is *not* (*EXTRA BOLD*) a Lua VM/runtime implemented in Zig.

It is a Lua environment and package manager written in Zig. It installs/selects Lua-family interpreters, resolves packages, builds native C modules, checks Lua ABI compatibility, creates isolated project environments(through symlinking), and stores artifacts in a content-addressed store.

So the closest mental model is:

LuaRocks + isolated project envs + lockfile replay + Zig-powered native builds + multi-interpreter workspace support. All batteries included for Lua development.

The project does use thematic names like “orbits” and “Ballad”; that’s an intentional design language, but the docs clearly need a stronger translation layer for first-time readers. I’m updating the landing/docs to lead with the concrete systems model first.

Lua works great on Nix. I don't get the urge to create more package managers.

Ah slight disappointment, first I thought it was a revival of the hack-n-slash Moonstone-game from the Amiga era.

But projects made in Zig are just as cool :)