simdutf
diff --git a/.github/workflows/amalgamation_demos.yml b/.github/workflows/amalgamation_demos.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+name: amalgamation demos
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - master
+
+jobs:
+  c++ amalgamation:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: C++ amalgamation demo
+        run: |
+          cd singleheader
+          ./amalgamate.py
+          c++ -o amalgamation_demo amalgamation_demo.cpp -std=c++17
+          ./amalgamation_demo
+
+c amalgamation:
+  runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+  steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: c amalgamation demo
+      run: |
+        cd singleheader
+        ./amalgamate.py
+        c++ -c simdutf.cpp
+        cc -c ./amalgamation_demo.c
+        c++ amalgamation_demo.o simdutf.o -o cdemo
+        ./cdemo
diff --git a/.github/workflows/debian-latestcxxstandards.yml b/.github/workflows/debian-latestcxxstandards.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         compiler: [g++-15, clang++-21]
         cppversion: [26,]
+        cversion: [23,]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: install
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ jobs:
           cmake \
              -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${{matrix.compiler}} \
              -DSIMDUTF_CXX_STANDARD=${{matrix.cppversion}} \
+             -DSIMDUTF_C_STANDARD=${{matrix.cversion}} \
              -DSIMDUTF_BENCHMARKS=OFF \
              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
              -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On \

diff --git a/.github/workflows/rvv-1024-clang-18.yml b/.github/workflows/rvv-1024-clang-18.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,14 @@ jobs:
         sudo apt-get install -y cmake make g++-riscv64-linux-gnu qemu-user-static clang-18
     - name: Build
       run: |
-        CXX=clang++-18 CXXFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv_zvbb" \
-        cmake --toolchain=cmake/toolchains-ci/riscv64-linux-gnu.cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -B build -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On
+        CXX=clang++-18 \
+        CC=clang-18 \
+        CFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv_zvbb" \
+        CXXFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv_zvbb" \
+        cmake --toolchain=cmake/toolchains-ci/riscv64-linux-gnu.cmake \
+        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -B build \
+        -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On
         cmake --build build/ -j$(nproc)
     - name: Test VLEN=1024
       run: |

diff --git a/.github/workflows/rvv-128-clang-17.yml b/.github/workflows/rvv-128-clang-17.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,14 @@ jobs:
         sudo apt-get install -y cmake make g++-riscv64-linux-gnu qemu-user-static clang-17
     - name: Build
       run: |
-        CXX=clang++-17 CXXFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv" \
-        cmake --toolchain=cmake/toolchains-ci/riscv64-linux-gnu.cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -B build -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On
+        CXX=clang++-17 \
+        CC=clang-17 \
+        CFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv" \
+        CXXFLAGS="--target=riscv64-linux-gnu -march=rv64gcv" \
+        cmake --toolchain=cmake/toolchains-ci/riscv64-linux-gnu.cmake \
+        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -B build \
+        -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On
         cmake --build build/ -j$(nproc)
     - name: Test VLEN=128
       run: |

diff --git a/.github/workflows/rvv-256-gcc-14.yml b/.github/workflows/rvv-256-gcc-14.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ jobs:
         sudo apt-get install -y cmake make g++-14-riscv64-linux-gnu qemu-user-static
     - name: Build
       run: |
-        CXX=riscv64-linux-gnu-g++-14 CXXFLAGS=-march=rv64gcv \
+        CXX=riscv64-linux-gnu-g++-14 \
+        CC=riscv64-linux-gnu-gcc-14 \
+        CXXFLAGS=-march=rv64gcv \
         cmake --toolchain=cmake/toolchains-ci/riscv64-linux-gnu.cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -B build -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On
         cmake --build build/ -j$(nproc)
     - name: Test VLEN=256

diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu24-cxxstandards.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu24-cxxstandards.yml
@@ -15,13 +15,15 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         compiler: [g++-14, clang++-18]
         cppversion: [11, 14, 17, 20, 23]
+        cversion: [11,]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Build and test ${{matrix.compiler}} C++ ${{matrix.cppversion}}
         run: |
           cmake \
              -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${{matrix.compiler}} \
              -DSIMDUTF_CXX_STANDARD=${{matrix.cppversion}} \
+             -DSIMDUTF_C_STANDARD=${{matrix.cversion}} \
              -DSIMDUTF_BENCHMARKS=OFF \
              -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
              -DSIMDUTF_FAST_TESTS=On \

diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15)
 
 project(simdutf
   DESCRIPTION "Fast Unicode validation, transcoding and processing"
-  LANGUAGES CXX
+  LANGUAGES C CXX
   VERSION 7.7.1
 )
 
@@ -105,6 +105,13 @@ install(
     COMPONENT simdutf_Development
 )
 
+
+install(
+    FILES include/simdutf_c.h
+    DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}"
+    COMPONENT simdutf_Development
+)
+
 install(
     DIRECTORY include/simdutf
     DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}"

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -2689,11 +2689,34 @@ If you use this library in your research, please cite our work:
 ```
 
 
-Stars
--------
 
+C wrapper (C11 or better)
+---------
+
+*This is currently experimental. We are committed to maintaining the C API but there might be issues with 
+our implementation.*
+
+We provide a thin C API that wraps the C++ `simdutf` library. It is intended
+for applications that prefer or require a plain C interface. The `simdutf_c.h`
+defines the interface.
+
+
+The C API exposes functions for validation, transcoding, size estimation, `find` helpers,
+and Base64 encode/decode helpers. Results are returned using the `simdutf_result` struct
+which contains an `error_code` field and additional fields when relevant.
 
 
+We provide a simple C demo using the C wrapper at `amalgamation_demo.c`.
+It shows validating UTF-8, converting UTF-8 to UTF-16LE and back, and checking the round-trip.
+Refer to `singleheader/README.md` for instructions. Note that the simdutf library requires
+a C++ standard library (e.g., libstdc++, libc++) at runtime, either statically or dynamically linked.
+
+Note: The C API is currently not aware of amalgamation with limited features. It expects the full simdutf library.
+
+
+Stars
+-------
+
 [![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/svg?repos=simdutf/simdutf&type=Date)](https://www.star-history.com/#simdutf/simdutf&Date)
 
 License