Key features
ArkScript is
  • small (less than 10'000 lines of idiomatic C++17)
  • a scripting language
  • portable, compile once, run your bytecode anywhere
  • functional, every argument is passed by copy
  • homoiconic, you can manipulate code with macros
  • extensible, through C++ plugins
More features
  • async/await on any function
  • no hidden references
  • tail call and unused variable optimization
  • a REPL with autocompletion and coloration
  • a standard library in ArkScript and C++
  • only need to learn 10 keywords
  • docker images: stable, nightly
Fibonacci suite
(let fibo (fun (n)
  (if (< n 2)
    n
    (+ (fibo (- n 1)) (fibo (- n 2))))))
 
(print (fibo 28))  # display 317811
Error messages to help you
CompilationError: Unbound variable error "fib" (did you mean "fibo"?)
In file fibonacci.ark
On line 7:12, got `(Symbol) fib'
   4 |     n
   5 |     (+ (fibo (- n 1)) (fibo (- n 2))))))
   6 | (while continue {
   7 |   (print (fib 28))
     |           ^^^
   8 |   (if (< (/ (random) 32768) 0.1)
   9 |     (set continue false))
Bytecode explorer
Version:   3.3.0
Timestamp: 1656877870
SHA256:    75614d8475c826d88f4a9f11aeaf5f9d3a296fbf544c2b4eca2d0834f1fec
 
Symbols table (length: 3)
0) foo
1) a
2) b
 
Constants table (length: 2)
0) (PageAddr) 1
1) (Number) 3.000000
 
Code segment 0 (length: 16)
0 LOAD_CONST (PageAddr) 1
3 LET foo
6 LOAD_CONST (Number) 3.000000
9 BUILTIN print
12 CALL (1)
15 HALT
 
Code segment 1 (length: 11)
0 MUT a
3 MUT b
6 BUILTIN nil
9 RET
10 HALT
Straightforward embedding
#include <Ark/Ark.hpp>
 
int main()
{
    // A state can be shared by multiple VM ; they can't overwrite it
    Ark::State state;
 
    // This will compile the code, but you can also give a file with state.doFile()
    state.doString("(let foo (fun (x y) (+ x y 2)))");
    // You can register C++ function (only before calling vm.run())
    state.loadFunction("cpp_foo", [](std::vector<Ark::Value>& args, Ark::VM* vm) {
        return Ark::Value(static_cast<int>(args.size()));
    });
 
    Ark::VM vm(state);
    vm.run();
 
    auto value = vm.call("foo", 5, 6.0);
    // displays 13
    std::cout << value << "\n";
 
    return 0;
}
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Found a bug, need help with the language?
We have a bug tracker where you can report bugs and feature requests.
Head to the forum if your problem / suggestion doesn't fit or if you need help with the language!