zed-industries/zed · error

failed to compile {grammar_name} parser with clang: {}

Error message

failed to compile {grammar_name} parser with clang: {}

What it means

Raised in compile_grammar after running clang to build a tree-sitter grammar's native parser shared library: the clang invocation completed but exited with a non-zero status, and the formatted args carry clang's captured stderr. Common underlying causes are a missing C compiler at the resolved clang_path, invalid/older C grammar source that fails to compile, missing headers for the -I include path, or linker errors exporting tree_sitter_<name>. The grammar_name identifies which extension's parser failed.

Source

Thrown at crates/extension/src/extension_builder.rs:322

            log::info!(
                "skipping compilation of {grammar_name} parser because the existing compiled grammar is up to date"
            );
        } else {
            log::info!("compiling {grammar_name} parser");
            let clang_output = util::command::new_command(&clang_path)
                .args(["-fPIC", "-shared", "-Os"])
                .arg(format!("-Wl,--export=tree_sitter_{grammar_name}"))
                .arg("-o")
                .arg(&grammar_wasm_path)
                .arg("-I")
                .arg(&src_path)
                .arg(&parser_path)
                .args(scanner_path.exists().then_some(scanner_path))
                .output()
                .await
                .context("running clang")?;

            anyhow::ensure!(
                clang_output.status.success(),
                "failed to compile {grammar_name} parser with clang: {}",
                String::from_utf8_lossy(&clang_output.stderr),
            );
        }

        Ok(())
    }

    async fn checkout_repo(&self, directory: &Path, url: &str, rev: &str) -> Result<()> {
        let git_dir = directory.join(".git");

        if directory.exists() {
            let remotes_output = util::command::new_command("git")
                .arg("--git-dir")
                .arg(&git_dir)
                .args(["remote", "get-url", "origin"])
                .env("GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL", "/dev/null")

View on GitHub (pinned to 9d272b0363)

Solutions

1. Install or point to a working clang/CC toolchain and verify with `clang --version`
2. Read the appended clang diagnostics; fix or upstream-report grammar parser.c errors for the failing grammar
3. Clear the cached build artifacts for that grammar so a clean recompile is attempted
4. On misconfigured setups switch the compiler via the clang path setting and confirm the linker supports --export

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/extension/src/extension_builder.rs:322 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of zed-industries/zed@9d272b0363 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9e4174e86f06a7e7. Report an issue: GitHub.