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https://github.com/thomas-crane/mint

A simple, mathematical language.
https://github.com/thomas-crane/mint

compile-to-js interpreter language mathematics

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A simple, mathematical language.

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README 

        
# Mint

A simple, mathematical language.



[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/thomas-crane/mint.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/thomas-crane/mint)



## Contents

1. [Foreword](#foreword)

2. [Install](#install)

    + [From npm](#from-npm)

    + [From GitHub](#from-github)

    + [VSCode language support](#vscode-language-support)

3. [Using Mint](#using-mint)

    + [The REPL](#the-repl)

        + [REPL commands](#repl-commands)

    + [Interpreting a Mint file](#interpreting-a-mint-file)

    + [Compiling to JavaScript](#compiling-to-javascript)

4. [Syntax](#syntax)

    + [Comments](#comments)

    + [Variables in Mint](#variables-in-mint)

    + [Functions in Mint](#functions-in-mint)

        + [Parameters](#parameters)

        + [Function body and return value](#function-body-and-return-value)

        + [Calling functions](#calling-functions)

        + [Higher order functions](#higher-order-functions)

    + [Errors in Mint](#errors-in-mint)



## Foreword

This language is, for the most part, a learning project. It is not intended for any serious use cases. **Do not** expect this language to be highly performant or entirely bug-free.



# Install

## From `npm`

```bash

npm install -g mint-lang

```



## From GitHub

```bash

git clone https://github.com/thomas-crane/mint.git

cd mint

npm link

```



## VSCode language support

The [Mint Language Support](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=thomas-crane.mint-lang-support) extension for VSCode is available from the Visual Studio Marketplace, and the source code for the extension is [available on GitHub.](https://github.com/thomas-crane/mint-language-support)



The extension provides syntax highlighting for the language, as well as snippets to make writing Mint code easier.



# Using Mint

There are several ways to use the Mint language after it is installed. Mint is first and foremost designed to be an interpreted language, but also has a compiler to JavaScript.



## The REPL

Mint has a REPL (**R**ead, **E**valuate, **P**rint, **L**oop) which can be started by simply using the command `mint` with no arguments. The REPL uses the same global environment for the whole session (unless reset), so variables can be declared and then later reused.



### REPL commands

+ `.exit` - Exits the REPL. `.quit` and `.q` also work.

+ `.help` - Prints the help message.

+ `.reset` - Resets the global environment (clears all variables).



## Interpreting a Mint file

Mint files can be interpreted using the command `mint` with the file to interpret as the argument. For example,

```bash

mint mymintfile.mint

```

The file to interpret is relative to the current working directory of the console, and may be a relative path.

```bash

mint mintfiles/example.mint

```



Optionally, the `--debug` flag can be included when interpreting a file. Using this flag will print the contents of all environments which were created while evaluating the file. For example,

```

# myfile.mint

let x be 10;

let y be 20;



> mint myfile.mint

> Environments:

> @Global

>   x: 10

>   y: 20

```



## Compiling to JavaScript

Mint files can be compiled to JavaScript by simply adding the `--compile` flag after the file path. If the flag is present, the program will not be evaluated, but will instead be written to a JavaScript file with the same name as the original file. For example,

```

mint myfile.mint --compile

```

Will compile the program and write the result to the file `myfile.mint.js`.



**The CLI will overwrite the file if it already exists**, so be sure not to use this command if there is a chance that an existing file may be accidentally overwritten.



# Syntax

Mint is designed to look and feel more like describing a mathematical equation than writing code. Because of this, Mint uses more words than symbols to describe operations.



## Comments

Mint currently only supports line comments. The start of a comment is denoted by the `#` symbol, and the end of the comment is denoted by the end of the line.



```

# My Mint program.

# Prints the inverse of a number.

let inverse be fn with x returning 1 / x;

print inverse of 5; # Inline comments are supported too.

```



## Variables in Mint

All variables in Mint are immutable. Once a variable has been declared, it can under no circumstances be changed in any way. Attempting to reassign an existing variable will raise a `VariableMutation` error and will halt execution.



Because variables are immutable, they must be assigned immediately. Variables are created using `let` and `be`.

```

let x be 10;

let y be x * 2;

```



## Functions in Mint

> This API is likely to change.



### Parameters

A function must have **at least** one parameter, but will accept an arbitrary number of parameters separated by commas.

```

let example be fn with x # Valid.

let example be fn with x, y, z # Valid.

let example be fn with x y z # Invalid, commas are required.

```



### Function body and return value

A function must have **one and only one** expression in its body. This expression is also the return value of the function.



Functions are created using `let`, `with` and `returning`

```

let inverse be fn with x returning 1 / x;

let identity be fn with x returning x;

```



### Calling functions

Functions are called using the `of` keyword.

```

let negation be fn with x returning -x;

print negation of 5;

# prints -5.

```



### Higher order functions

Mint allows functions to be used as parameters, as well as allowing functions to be returned from other functions.

```

let multiplier be fn with x returning fn with y returning x * y;

let double be multiplier of 2;

print double of 10;

# prints 20.

```

```

let applyTwice be fn with x, y returning x of x of y;

let inverse be fn with x returning 1 / x;

let identity be fn with x returning applyTwice of inverse, x;

print identity of 10;

# prints 10.

```



## Errors in Mint

There are several types of errors which may be thrown by a Mint program. All errors are considered fatal and will halt execution if they are encountered.

+ `NumberFormat` - Thrown if a number in the source code is badly formatted.

+ `NullReference` - Thrown if a variable that has not yet been declared is referenced.

+ `VariableMutation` - Thrown if an existing variable is reassigned.

+ `InvalidCharacter` - Thrown if an unrecognized character is found in the source code.

+ `InvalidSyntax` - Thrown if invalid syntax is encountered while parsing the source code.



There are a few other types of errors, `InvalidBinaryOp`, `InvalidUnaryOp` and `UnimplementedVisitor`.

These errors indicate that there is a problem with the interpreter itself. If you encounter one of these errors, please consider opening an issue and including the code necessary to reproduce the error.