diff --git a/examples/invalid.flx b/examples/invalid.flx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6f21f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/invalid.flx
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+fn main() {
+    let a : 12 = 3;
+    return -;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/fluxc/Cargo.lock b/fluxc/Cargo.lock
index d867fb8..984f744 100644
--- a/fluxc/Cargo.lock
+++ b/fluxc/Cargo.lock
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ name = "fluxc"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
+ "yansi",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -14,3 +15,9 @@ name = "unicode-xid"
 version = "0.2.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ebc1c04c71510c7f702b52b7c350734c9ff1295c464a03335b00bb84fc54f853"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "yansi"
+version = "1.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cfe53a6657fd280eaa890a3bc59152892ffa3e30101319d168b781ed6529b049"
diff --git a/fluxc/Cargo.toml b/fluxc/Cargo.toml
index a00b335..993a656 100644
--- a/fluxc/Cargo.toml
+++ b/fluxc/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ edition = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
 unicode-xid = "0.2"
+yansi = "1"
diff --git a/fluxc/src/diagnostics.rs b/fluxc/src/diagnostics.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e8c67b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fluxc/src/diagnostics.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,323 @@
+use std::fmt::Write as _;
+
+use yansi::{Color, Paint as _};
+
+use crate::token::Span;
+
+// ── Level ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum Level {
+    Critical,
+    Error,
+    Warning,
+    Note,
+}
+
+impl Level {
+    fn label_str(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Level::Critical => "critical",
+            Level::Error => "error",
+            Level::Warning => "warning",
+            Level::Note => "note",
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn color(self) -> Color {
+        match self {
+            Level::Critical => Color::Magenta,
+            Level::Error => Color::Red,
+            Level::Warning => Color::Yellow,
+            Level::Note => Color::Cyan,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// ── Label ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum LabelStyle {
+    Primary,
+    Secondary,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct Label {
+    pub span: Span,
+    pub message: Option<String>,
+    pub style: LabelStyle,
+}
+
+impl Label {
+    pub fn primary(span: Span) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            span,
+            message: None,
+            style: LabelStyle::Primary,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn secondary(span: Span) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            span,
+            message: None,
+            style: LabelStyle::Secondary,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_message(mut self, msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        self.message = Some(msg.into());
+        self
+    }
+}
+
+// ── Diagnostic ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct Diagnostic {
+    pub level: Level,
+    pub message: String,
+    pub labels: Vec<Label>,
+    pub notes: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+impl Diagnostic {
+    pub fn new(level: Level, message: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            level,
+            message: message.into(),
+            labels: Vec::new(),
+            notes: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn error(message: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Level::Error, message)
+    }
+
+    pub fn warning(message: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Level::Warning, message)
+    }
+
+    pub fn note(message: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Level::Note, message)
+    }
+
+    pub fn critical(message: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Level::Critical, message)
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_label(mut self, label: Label) -> Self {
+        self.labels.push(label);
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_note(mut self, note: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        self.notes.push(note.into());
+        self
+    }
+
+    /// Render this diagnostic to a string.
+    ///
+    /// `src` is the full source text; `filename` is used in the `-->` pointer.
+    pub fn render(&self, src: &str, filename: &str) -> String {
+        let color = self.level.color();
+        let mut out = String::new();
+
+        // ── Header: `error: message` ──────────────────────────────────────
+        let _ = writeln!(
+            out,
+            "{}: {}",
+            self.level.label_str().fg(color).bold(),
+            self.message.as_str().bold(),
+        );
+
+        if self.labels.is_empty() {
+            for note in &self.notes {
+                let _ = writeln!(
+                    out,
+                    "  {} {}: {}",
+                    "=".bold().blue(),
+                    "note".bold().cyan(),
+                    note
+                );
+            }
+            return out;
+        }
+
+        // ── `-->` file pointer ────────────────────────────────────────────
+        let primary = self
+            .labels
+            .iter()
+            .find(|l| l.style == LabelStyle::Primary)
+            .or_else(|| self.labels.first())
+            .unwrap();
+        let (p_line, p_col) = offset_to_line_col(src, primary.span.start);
+        let _ = writeln!(
+            out,
+            "  {} {}:{}:{}",
+            "-->".bold().blue(),
+            filename,
+            p_line,
+            p_col,
+        );
+
+        // ── Compute gutter width from max line number ─────────────────────
+        let max_line = self
+            .labels
+            .iter()
+            .map(|l| offset_to_line_col(src, l.span.start).0)
+            .max()
+            .unwrap_or(1);
+        let gutter_w = count_digits(max_line);
+        let blank = " ".repeat(gutter_w);
+
+        let _ = writeln!(out, "{blank} {}", "|".bold().blue());
+
+        // ── Group labels by line, sorted by line number ───────────────────
+        let mut by_line: Vec<(usize, &Label)> = self
+            .labels
+            .iter()
+            .map(|l| (offset_to_line_col(src, l.span.start).0, l))
+            .collect();
+        by_line.sort_by_key(|&(ln, _)| ln);
+
+        let mut i = 0;
+        while i < by_line.len() {
+            let line_num = by_line[i].0;
+
+            let group_len = by_line[i..]
+                .iter()
+                .take_while(|(ln, _)| *ln == line_num)
+                .count();
+            let group = &by_line[i..i + group_len];
+
+            // Source line
+            let line_text = source_line(src, line_num);
+            let num_str = format!("{:>gutter_w$}", line_num);
+            let _ = writeln!(
+                out,
+                "{} {} {}",
+                num_str.as_str().bold().blue(),
+                "|".bold().blue(),
+                line_text,
+            );
+
+            // Underlines for each label on this line, sorted left-to-right
+            let mut underlines: Vec<(usize, usize, &Label)> = group
+                .iter()
+                .map(|(_, label)| {
+                    let (_, col) = offset_to_line_col(src, label.span.start);
+                    let width = underline_width(src, label, line_num);
+                    (col, width, *label)
+                })
+                .collect();
+            underlines.sort_by_key(|&(col, _, _)| col);
+
+            for (col, width, label) in underlines {
+                let pad = " ".repeat(col.saturating_sub(1));
+                let (ch, uc) = match label.style {
+                    LabelStyle::Primary => ('^', color),
+                    LabelStyle::Secondary => ('-', Color::Blue),
+                };
+                let underline = ch.to_string().repeat(width.max(1));
+                if let Some(msg) = &label.message {
+                    let _ = writeln!(
+                        out,
+                        "{blank} {} {pad}{} {}",
+                        "|".bold().blue(),
+                        underline.as_str().fg(uc).bold(),
+                        msg.as_str().fg(uc).bold(),
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    let _ = writeln!(
+                        out,
+                        "{blank} {} {pad}{}",
+                        "|".bold().blue(),
+                        underline.as_str().fg(uc).bold(),
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+
+            i += group_len;
+        }
+
+        let _ = writeln!(out, "{blank} {}", "|".bold().blue());
+
+        // ── Notes ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+        for note in &self.notes {
+            let _ = writeln!(
+                out,
+                "{blank} {} {}: {}",
+                "=".bold().blue(),
+                "note".bold().cyan(),
+                note,
+            );
+        }
+
+        out
+    }
+}
+
+// ── Internal helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/// Convert a byte offset into `src` to a `(line, col)` pair (both 1-indexed).
+fn offset_to_line_col(src: &str, offset: u32) -> (usize, usize) {
+    let offset = (offset as usize).min(src.len());
+    let mut line = 1usize;
+    let mut line_start = 0usize;
+    for (i, c) in src.char_indices() {
+        if i >= offset {
+            break;
+        }
+        if c == '\n' {
+            line += 1;
+            line_start = i + 1; // '\n' is always 1 byte
+        }
+    }
+    let col = src[line_start..offset].chars().count() + 1;
+    (line, col)
+}
+
+/// Return the source text for a given 1-indexed line number.
+fn source_line(src: &str, line_num: usize) -> &str {
+    src.lines()
+        .nth(line_num - 1)
+        .unwrap_or("")
+        .trim_end_matches('\r')
+}
+
+/// Compute how many `^` characters should underline `label` on `line_num`.
+fn underline_width(src: &str, label: &Label, line_num: usize) -> usize {
+    if label.span.end <= label.span.start {
+        return 1; // zero-width span: show at least one caret
+    }
+    let (start_line, start_col) = offset_to_line_col(src, label.span.start);
+    let (end_line, end_col) = offset_to_line_col(src, label.span.end);
+    if start_line == end_line {
+        end_col.saturating_sub(start_col).max(1)
+    } else if line_num == start_line {
+        // Multiline span: underline to end of the first line.
+        let line_text = source_line(src, line_num);
+        line_text
+            .chars()
+            .count()
+            .saturating_sub(start_col - 1)
+            .max(1)
+    } else {
+        1
+    }
+}
+
+fn count_digits(mut n: usize) -> usize {
+    if n == 0 {
+        return 1;
+    }
+    let mut count = 0;
+    while n > 0 {
+        n /= 10;
+        count += 1;
+    }
+    count
+}
diff --git a/fluxc/src/lexer.rs b/fluxc/src/lexer.rs
index d4f8b2f..b4c8e4f 100644
--- a/fluxc/src/lexer.rs
+++ b/fluxc/src/lexer.rs
@@ -588,8 +588,8 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(
             kinds(src),
             vec![
-                PlusEq, MinusEq, StarEq, SlashEq, PercentEq, AmpEq, PipeEq, CaretEq, ShlEq,
-                ShrEq, Eof
+                PlusEq, MinusEq, StarEq, SlashEq, PercentEq, AmpEq, PipeEq, CaretEq, ShlEq, ShrEq,
+                Eof
             ]
         );
     }
diff --git a/fluxc/src/main.rs b/fluxc/src/main.rs
index 10cd541..93fbb85 100644
--- a/fluxc/src/main.rs
+++ b/fluxc/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::{env::args, fs};
 use crate::parser::Parser;
 
 pub mod ast;
+pub mod diagnostics;
 pub mod lexer;
 pub mod parser;
 pub mod token;
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ fn main() {
     let mut parser = Parser::new(&content);
     let program = parser.parse_program();
 
-    for err in &parser.errors {
-        eprintln!("parse error: {err}");
+    for diag in &parser.errors {
+        eprint!("{}", diag.render(&content, &path));
     }
 
     println!("{program:#?}");
diff --git a/fluxc/src/parser.rs b/fluxc/src/parser.rs
index 916989b..41bb9a0 100644
--- a/fluxc/src/parser.rs
+++ b/fluxc/src/parser.rs
@@ -1,29 +1,14 @@
-use std::fmt;
-
 use crate::{
     ast::{
         BinaryOp, Block, CompoundAssignOp, ElseBranch, Expr, ExprKind, FieldDef, FuncDef, Param,
         Program, Stmt, StmtKind, StructDef, StructField, TopLevelDef, TopLevelDefKind, Type,
         UnaryOp,
     },
+    diagnostics::{Diagnostic, Label},
     lexer::Lexer,
     token::{Span, Token, TokenKind},
 };
 
-// ── Parse error ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
-pub struct ParseError {
-    pub span: Span,
-    pub message: String,
-}
-
-impl fmt::Display for ParseError {
-    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
-        write!(f, "error at {}: {}", self.span, self.message)
-    }
-}
-
 // ── Binding powers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 //
 // Returns `(left_bp, right_bp)` for infix operators.
@@ -139,7 +124,7 @@ fn token_to_binary_op(kind: TokenKind) -> BinaryOp {
 pub struct Parser<'src> {
     tokens: Vec<Token<'src>>,
     pos: usize,
-    pub errors: Vec<ParseError>,
+    pub errors: Vec<Diagnostic>,
 }
 
 impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
@@ -175,11 +160,12 @@ impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
         if tok.kind == kind {
             self.advance()
         } else {
+            self.errors.push(
+                Diagnostic::error(format!("expected {kind}, found {}", tok.kind)).with_label(
+                    Label::primary(tok.span).with_message(format!("expected {kind} here")),
+                ),
+            );
             let span = Span::new(tok.span.start, tok.span.start);
-            self.errors.push(ParseError {
-                span,
-                message: format!("expected {}, found {}", kind, tok.kind),
-            });
             Token::new(kind, span, "")
         }
     }
@@ -261,10 +247,10 @@ impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
 
             // Error — insert recovery placeholder
             _ => {
-                self.errors.push(ParseError {
-                    span: tok.span,
-                    message: format!("expected type, found {}", tok.kind),
-                });
+                self.errors.push(
+                    Diagnostic::error(format!("expected type, found {}", tok.kind))
+                        .with_label(Label::primary(tok.span).with_message("expected a type here")),
+                );
                 Type::Error
             }
         }
@@ -339,10 +325,10 @@ impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
             | TokenKind::Fn
             | TokenKind::Struct
             | TokenKind::Eof => {
-                self.errors.push(ParseError {
-                    span: tok.span,
-                    message: format!("unexpected {} in statement position", tok.kind),
-                });
+                self.errors.push(
+                    Diagnostic::error(format!("unexpected {} in statement position", tok.kind))
+                        .with_label(Label::primary(tok.span)),
+                );
                 self.synchronize();
                 Stmt {
                     kind: StmtKind::Error,
@@ -553,10 +539,10 @@ impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
 
             // Error recovery
             _ => {
-                self.errors.push(ParseError {
-                    span: tok.span,
-                    message: format!("unexpected token {} in expression", tok.kind),
-                });
+                self.errors.push(
+                    Diagnostic::error(format!("unexpected token {} in expression", tok.kind))
+                        .with_label(Label::primary(tok.span)),
+                );
                 Expr::new(ExprKind::Error, tok.span)
             }
         }
@@ -730,10 +716,12 @@ impl<'src> Parser<'src> {
             TokenKind::Fn => self.parse_func_def(),
             TokenKind::Struct => self.parse_struct_def(),
             _ => {
-                self.errors.push(ParseError {
-                    span: tok.span,
-                    message: format!("expected `fn` or `struct`, found {}", tok.kind),
-                });
+                self.errors.push(
+                    Diagnostic::error(format!("expected `fn` or `struct`, found {}", tok.kind))
+                        .with_label(
+                            Label::primary(tok.span).with_message("expected `fn` or `struct`"),
+                        ),
+                );
                 self.synchronize_top_level();
                 TopLevelDef {
                     kind: TopLevelDefKind::Error,