Remove remaining usage of aliases

[rust.git] / README.md

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-# stdsimd
+# stdsimd - Rust's standard library portable SIMD API
+[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.com/rust-lang/stdsimd.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.com/rust-lang/stdsimd)
 
 Code repository for the [Portable SIMD Project Group](https://github.com/rust-lang/project-portable-simd).
+Please refer to [CONTRIBUTING.md](./CONTRIBUTING.md) for our contributing guidelines.
 
-More coming soon!
+The docs for this crate are published from the main branch.
+You can [read them here][docs].
+
+If you have questions about SIMD, we have begun writing a [guide][simd-guide].
+We can also be found on [Zulip][zulip-project-portable-simd].
+
+If you are interested in support for a specific architecture, you may want [stdarch] instead.
+
+## Hello World
+
+Now we're gonna dip our toes into this world with a small SIMD "Hello, World!" example. Make sure your compiler is up to date and using `nightly`. We can do that by running 
+
+```bash
+rustup update -- nightly
+```
+
+or by setting up `rustup default nightly` or else with `cargo +nightly {build,test,run}`. After updating, run 
+```bash
+cargo new hellosimd
+```
+to create a new crate. Edit `hellosimd/Cargo.toml` to be 
+```toml
+[package]
+name = "hellosimd"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2018"
+[dependencies]
+core_simd = { git = "https://github.com/rust-lang/stdsimd" }
+```
+
+and finally write this in `src/main.rs`:
+```rust
+use core_simd::*;
+fn main() {
+    let a = f32x4::splat(10.0);
+    let b = f32x4::from_array([1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]);
+    println!("{:?}", a + b);
+}
+```
+
+Explanation: We import all the bindings from the crate with the first line. Then, we construct our SIMD vectors with methods like `splat` or `from_array`. Finally, we can use operators on them like `+` and the appropriate SIMD instructions will be carried out. When we run `cargo run` you should get `[11.0, 12.0, 13.0, 14.0]`.
+
+## Code Organization
+
+Currently the crate is organized so that each element type is a file, and then the 64-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit, and 512-bit vectors using those types are contained in said file.
+
+All types are then exported as a single, flat module.
+
+Depending on the size of the primitive type, the number of lanes the vector will have varies. For example, 128-bit vectors have four `f32` lanes and two `f64` lanes.
+
+The supported element types are as follows:
+* **Floating Point:** `f32`, `f64`
+* **Signed Integers:** `i8`, `i16`, `i32`, `i64`, `i128`, `isize`
+* **Unsigned Integers:** `u8`, `u16`, `u32`, `u64`, `u128`, `usize`
+* **Masks:** `mask8`, `mask16`, `mask32`, `mask64`, `mask128`, `masksize`
+
+Floating point, signed integers, and unsigned integers are the [primitive types](https://doc.rust-lang.org/core/primitive/index.html) you're already used to.
+The `mask` types are "truthy" values, but they use the number of bits in their name instead of just 1 bit like a normal `bool` uses.
+
+[simd-guide]: ./beginners-guide.md
+[zulip-project-portable-simd]: https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com/#narrow/stream/257879-project-portable-simd
+[stdarch]: https://github.com/rust-lang/stdarch
+[docs]: https://rust-lang.github.io/stdsimd/core_simd