Ash Language

Table of Contents

1. Intro
2. Types
3. Operators
   1. Arithmetic
   2. Assignment
   3. Comparison
4. Keywords
5. Rules
   1. Variables
   2. If Statements
   3. Else Statements
   4. For loops
   5. While loops

Intro

This is a simple language that I made for fun and learning.

It's named Ash as A#, A as in my name and # as it's written in C#.

Types

• Any: Any type of value
  • Default: 0.
• Integer: number with no decimal.
  • Default: 0.
• Double: number with decimal.
  • Default: 0.0.
• Boolean: true or false.
  • Default: false.

Operators

Arithmetic

1. Plus [+]: int/double + int/double
2. Minus [-]: int/double - int/double
3. Multiply [*]: int/double * int/double
4. Divide [/]: int/double / int/double
5. Exponent [^]: int/double ^ int/double
6. Parenthesis [( )]: (int/double)

Assignment

1. Assigment [=]: variable = int/double

Comparison

1. Equals [==]: int/double/bool == int/double/bool
2. Not equals [!=]: int/double/bool != int/double/bool
3. Greater than [>]: int/double > int/double
4. Less than [<]: int/double < int/double
5. Greater than or equal to [>=]: int/double >= int/double
6. Less than or equal to [<=]: int/double <= int/double

Logical

1. And [&&]: bool && bool
2. Or [||]: bool || bool
3. Not [!]: !bool

Keywords

• integer
• double
• boolean
• let
• true
• false
• if
• else
• for
• to
• step
• while
• break
• function

Rules

Variables

When declaring a variable this can be done in different ways:

1. let variableName;
   • This will create a variable with the type 'any'.
   • This allows further initialisation of the variable to other types.
2. let variableName = value;
   • This will create a variable with the type of the value.
   • This allows the compiler to infer the variable type.
3. <type> variableName;
   • This will create a variable with the specified type with a default value.
4. <type> variableName = value;
   • This will create a variable with the specified type and value.

Notes:

• Once assigned a type, a variable cannot be changed to another type. See Types
• Variables of type 'any' cannot be accessed, they need to be initialised first.

Specifications:

• Must start with a letter.
• Can include numbers and underscores.
• Declaration and initialisation must end with a semicolon.
• Cannot be a keyword.
• Are case sensitive.
• Are accessed with the variable name.

Example

// Declaring and assigning variables
let example_1 = 23;
let example_2 = 23.5;
let example_3 = true;

// Reassigning variables
example_1 = true // Error
example_1 = 24;  // Valid

//Typed variables
let anyVariable;     // Any type
anyVariable;         // Error, varable
anyVariable = 23;    // Integer type
anyVaraible = false  // Error

integer example_4 = 24;      // Integer type
double example_5 = 2,3;      // Double type
boolean example_6 = false;   // Boolean type

If statements

• Must be declared with the 'if' keyword.
• Must have a condition.
• Must have a body.
• The body must be surrounded by curly braces.

Example

if(1 == 1) {

   // Do something

}

Else statements

• Must be declared with the 'else' keyword.
• Must have a body.
• The body must be surrounded by curly braces.
• Must be declared after an if statement.

Example

if(1 == 2){

   // Do something
   
} else {

   // Do something else
   
}

For loops

• Must be declared with the 'for' keyword.
• Counter must be declared within the parenthesis.
• Elements within the parenthesis must be separated by a semicolon.
• Must have a condition.
• Must have a body.
• The step is optional (default is 1), but when used, it must be declared after the upper bound.
• The body must be surrounded by curly braces.
• Can be exited with the 'break' keyword.

Example

for (let i = 0; to 10; step 2) {

   // Do something

}

OR

for (let i = 0; to 10) {

   // Do something

}

While loops

• Must be declared with the 'while' keyword.
• Must have a condition.
• Must have a body.
• The body must be surrounded by curly braces.
• Can be exited with the 'break' keyword.

Example

while (1 == 1) {

   // Do something

}

Break

• Must be declared with the 'break' keyword.
• Can be used in for and while loops.
• Exits the loop.
• Ends with a semicolon.

Example

break;

Function declaration

• Must be declared with the 'function' keyword.
• Must have a name.
• Must have a body.
• The body must be surrounded by curly braces.
• Parameters are optional.
• Parameters must be separated by a comma.
• Parameters must have the type specified. See Types.

Example

function example() {

   // Do something

}

OR

function example(integer a, double b) {

   // Do something

}