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Help & CLI in TechLang

TechLang includes a command-line interface (CLI) for running scripts, exploring code interactively, and accessing built-in documentation.

Running Scripts

Execute a TechLang script file:

# Using Python
python cli.py examples/hello.tl

# Or using the tl command (if installed)
tl examples/hello.tl

Interactive REPL

Start an interactive Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) session:

python cli.py -i
# or
tl -i

The REPL includes these features:

  • Command history: Persisted to ~/.techlang_history
  • Auto-indentation: Automatically indents block content (4 spaces per depth)
  • Block detection: Executes when block depth returns to zero
  • Meta-commands: Special commands starting with :

REPL Meta-Commands

Command Description
:load file.tl Load and execute a TechLang file
:help Show help information
:clear Clear the screen
:history Show command history
:quit Exit the REPL

Verbose Mode

Run files with verbose output to see each command before execution:

python cli.py -v examples/hello.tl
# or
tl -v examples/hello.tl

Verbose mode shows:

  • Each command token before execution
  • Helpful for debugging parser vs executor issues

Built-In Help System

TechLang includes a comprehensive help system accessible from within programs:

List All Commands

help

Output shows all available commands with brief descriptions.

Get Specific Command Help

help print
help array_create
help json_parse

Help Categories

Commands are organized into categories:

  • Core & variables
  • Control flow
  • Data types (arrays, strings, dicts, structs)
  • JSON operations
  • File I/O
  • Network & HTTP
  • Graphics
  • Math & date/time
  • Database operations
  • Memory management
  • Concurrency & threading
  • System & processes
  • Debugging
  • Modules & macros

Exit Codes

Set the exit code for your script:

sys_exit 0   # Success
sys_exit 1   # Error

The exit code is stored in the _exit variable and returned when the script ends.

File Paths and Base Directory

When running a script file, TechLang sets the base_dir to the folder containing the script. All relative file operations resolve from this directory:

# If running examples/database.tl, base_dir is examples/
file_write "output.txt" "Hello"  # Creates examples/output.txt

For security, path traversal outside base_dir is blocked.

Running Tests

Run the full test suite:

python run_tests.py

Run specific test files:

python -m pytest tests/test_json.py -v
python -m pytest tests/test_debugger.py::test_breakpoint_sets_breakpoint -v

Code Formatting

Format TechLang code:

# Check formatting (CI mode)
python format_tl.py --check examples/

# Fix formatting automatically
python format_tl.py --fix examples/hello.tl

# Lint code for issues
python format_tl.py --lint examples/

The formatter handles:

  • Proper indentation for blocks
  • Consistent spacing
  • Preserves comments and quoted strings

Example: Complete Workflow

# 1. Create a new script
echo "set x 10" > myscript.tl
echo "print x" >> myscript.tl

# 2. Format it
python format_tl.py --fix myscript.tl

# 3. Run it
python cli.py myscript.tl

# 4. Debug it interactively
python cli.py -i
> :load myscript.tl
> help set
> :quit

See the Examples Index for more code samples.