Aetherlang Core

Core is something implemented in the interpreter itself. You don't need to include anything for it to work, not even base.


      

      
        @ comment


      

      f arg1...argN @-> any 

        @ where f: function

        @       arg1...argN: any 

        @ calls F with given arguments. returns the result.


      

      (exp) @-> any 

        @ evaluates EXP. returns the result.


      

      :exp @-> symbol 

        @ quotes anything that was in EXP and returns it as a symbol that can be either evaluated with do or used as a string.


      

      x = y @-> any 

        @ where y: any

        @ binds name X to Y. if the name X has "aether." prefix it will be created in ether. returns Y.


      

      function f [argnames...] = body  @-> function 

        @ creates a function with the name F and returns it.


      

      dim d 

        ...

      enddim d 

        @ separates a dimension block named D that is fully skipped by interpreter and then evaluated line by line in parallel to currently running dimensions.


      

      ritual

        ...

      endrit 

        @ separates a ritual block that is fully skipped by interpreter and then evaluated line by line in parallel to currently running rituals.

Types


      ANY @ not a type

        ╠ number 

        ╠ symbol ┐

        ╠ string ┘ @ these two are for the most part interchangeable. 

        ╠ timepoint  @ basically a marker for gotime. cannot be instantiated in the ether.

        ╠ void @ is used to represent the absence of value. also is the only type (and value) considered FALSE logically. 

        ╠ function

        ╚ array

          ╚ phantomarray @ in standard libraries, any function that requires an array can also be given a phantomarray instead. not vice versa.

Functions


      

      use libname [prefix]  @-> void 

        @ where libname: symbol or string

        @       prefix: symbol or string 

        @ includes all the names defined in a preinstalled library LIBNAME to the namespace. if PREFIX was given, puts PREFIX before each of these names.

Constants


      

      dimname @ of string 

        @ a special name that is always equal to the name of the current dimension [or ritual since v0.2].


      

      oargs @ of array 

        @ a list of extra arguments given to a function. only exists inside a function body.


      

      [v0.2+]

      true @ of number 

        @ constant TRUE that is equal to 1.


      

      void @ of void 

        @ constant VOID of type void.