A developer currently between jobs decided to learn Zig by building a C compiler from scratch. Instead of traditional interview prep, they turned to Nora Sandler's 'Writing a C Compiler' book as a structured roadmap. The project, named paella, serves as a hands-on exercise to understand the language's nuances while keeping busy during the job search.

Progress covers the first ten chapters of the book, moving from basic unary operations through binary logic, variables, and control flow. The developer has documented chapters on conditions, blocks, loops, and functions, recently wrapping up the linking chapter. These writeups are raw, unedited snapshots of the learning process, with only broken links fixed during compilation.

Following a established compiler book with a modern systems language offers a practical path for engineers exploring new tools. The paella project demonstrates how Nora Sandler's curriculum adapts to different backends. This collection stands as a documented journey of self-directed education through building a functional compiler.