Statements

statement 1
statement 2

Or separated by commas:

statement 1, statement 2

Variables

Variables can contain alphas, spaces, numbers, $ and _.

Defining

small number = 8

Or in a scoped block:

small number =
    n = 2
    Math.(n) pow 3

Assigning

Once a variable is defined, you can re-assign it using :=

small number = 8
small number := 9

JavaScript Interop

small number is the same as smallNumber

Calling Functions

move file "logbook.txt" to dir "~/docs"

Variable Arguments

filename = "logbook.txt"
docs dir = "~/docs"
move file (filename) to dir (docs dir)

With Optional Arguments

web server (port: 80)

With Splat Arguments

sum (numbers) ...

Or

sum (numbers, ...)

Block Arguments

set timeout
    console.log "hi!"
1000

Or all on one line:

set timeout @{console.log "hi!"} 1000

Block Parameters

map each @(name) in (names) into
    "<div class='name'>#(name)</div>"

Async

See also the rules.

Async Function Calls

Use the ! operator:

users.find by name! 'Jack'

Passing Async Blocks

Blocks that contain async calls expect an async callback as the last argument, works great in mocha tests:

describe 'finding users'
    it 'finds users by name'
        users.find by name! 'Jack'
        ...

If you pass two blocks and one of them is async, the other is made async too:

run (block1) then (block2) =
    block1!()
    block2!()

user = nil
run!
    user = users.find by name! 'Jack'
then
    console.log (user.name)

Defining Functions

move file (filename) to dir (dir name) =
    ...

With Optional Parameters

web server (port: 80) = ...

With Splat Parameters

sum (numbers) ... =
    ...

Objects

Calling Methods

date = @new Date 2011 4 5
month = date.get month ()
date.set minutes 5

Defining Methods and Properties

size = {}
size.x = 10
size.y = 20
size.area () = self.x * self.y

Or as a hash:

size = {
    x = 10
    y = 20
    area () = self.x * self.y
}

New Operator

@new circle (40, 50, radius: 50)

Or

new (circle (40, 50, radius: 50))

Self

Accessing Self

self is akin to this in JavaScript

self.x

Blocks Preserve Self

Self is always preserved in blocks:

person = {
    name = 'Man Ray'
    say hi later () =
        set timeout
            console.log "my name is #(self.name)"
        1000
}

Self Blocks Redefine Self

use => to allow self to be redefined by the caller of the block:

web server =>
  self.get '/' =>
    self.response.end "hi!\n"

Arrays

colours = ['red', 'blue', 'yellow']

Array Indexes

fib = [0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5]

fib.0
fib.5 = 5

n = 3
fib.(n) = 2

List Comprehensions

Simple map:

[x * x, where: x <- [1, 2, 3]]

Filter:

[x, where: x <- [1, 2, 3], x > 1]

Combinations:

[x * y, where: x <- [1, 2, 3], y <- [4, 5, 6]]

Objects

colour scheme = {bg 'red', fg 'yellow'}

Or

colour scheme = {
    background = 'red'
    foreground = 'yellow'
}

Accessing Fields

color scheme.background

back or foreground = 'foreground'
color scheme.(back or foreground)

Control Structures

If

if (wind speed > 20)
    console.log "gone kitesurfing!"
else
    console.log "no wind, programming"

While

finished = false

while (@not finished)
    console.log "still going"

Try Catch

try
    something complicated ()
catch (ex)
    console.log "it went horribly wrong"
finally
    always do this ()

For Each

for each @(mountain) in (moutains)
    console.log (mountain)

For

for (n = 0, n < 10, ++n)
    console.log (n)

Return

@return @new circle (40, 50, radius: 50)

Or

return (new (circle (40, 50, radius: 50)))

Throw

@throw @new Error 'aaaaargghh!'

Or

throw (new (Error 'aaaaargghh!'))

Break

break

Continue

continue

Comments

// this is a comment

/* this
   is
   a
   comment */

Strings

Non-interpolating

'Sophie''s World'

Interpolating

"hi #(persons name)"

Special Characters

Only work in double-quoted strings:

"tab: \t
 linefeed: \n
 carriage return: \r"

Multi-line

Newlines are permitted, and indentation on subsequent lines is ignored:

some html = "line one
             line two
             line three"

Or with single quotes:

some html = 'line one
             line two
             line three'

Regexps

Regexps use r/.../ syntax, and accept the usual sufixes, g, i and m.

r/.*\.jpg/i.test 'geographe.jpg'

Nil

nil is the same as undefined, good for providing default values.

this function does nothing () = nil

render (title: nil) = ...

Operators

Instance of

You can check the type of something by using the :: operator, all of these expressions are true:

[] :: Array
{} :: Object
@{} :: Function
"stuff" :: String
9.8 :: Number
false :: Boolean

Boolean

true @and true

false @or true

@not false

Arithmetic

a * b
a / b
a + b
a - b

Comparison

a < b
a <= b
a >= b
a > b

Strict equality, same as JavaScript ===:

a == b

Strict inequality, same as JavaScript !==:

a != b

Bitwise

Bitwise shift to greater significance:

a << b      

Bitwise shift to lesser significance:

a >> b    

Bitwise and

a & b   

Bitwise or

a | b  

Increment/Decrement

--a
++a

Custom

Named operators are just function calls, so you can make your own:

(region1) union (region2) = ...

americas = north america @union south america

Likewise, you can write unary operators in the same way:

inverse (region) = ...

rest of the world = @inverse australia