Skip to content

01_Getting_Started.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
157 lines (123 loc) · 4.48 KB

01_Getting_Started.md

File metadata and controls

157 lines (123 loc) · 4.48 KB

Chapter 1: Getting Started with ShellLite

Welcome to ShellLite! This chapter covers everything you need to get up and running, from installation to writing your first script.

Current Version: 0.05.0 (Performance Update)

This release introduces native compilation via LLVM, transforming ShellLite into a compiled language alongside its interpreted mode.

1. Installation

Via PyPI (Recommended)

The easiest way to install ShellLite:

pip install shell-lite

Windows Installer

Download the latest shl.exe from the Releases page.

  1. Download & Run: Locate the compiled shl.exe file and run it.
  2. Global Installation: The first time you run it, if it detects it isn't installed globally (system-wide), it will ask:

    "Would you like to install it so 'shl' works everywhere? (y/n)"

  3. Approve: Type y and press Enter. This adds ShellLite to your system PATH.
  4. Verify: Close your current terminal and open a new one. Type shl. You should see the ShellLite interactive prompt.

Tip

If shl doesn't work after installation, try restarting your computer or checking your System Environment Variables manually.

From Source (For Developers)

If you are developing the language itself or prefer running from source:

  1. Clone the Repository: 
    git clone https://github.com/Shrey-N/ShellLite.git
cd ShellLite
  2. Install in Development Mode: 
    pip install -e .
  3. Install Optional Dependencies (for LLVM compilation): 
    pip install llvmlite
  4. Run with Python: 
    # Enter Interactive Mode
python -m shell_lite.main

# Run a Script
python -m shell_lite.main myscript.shl

2. Tools

VS Code Extension

For the best experience, install the official ShellLite VS Code extension:

The extension provides syntax highlighting and code snippets for ShellLite.

ShellDesk IDE

The official IDE for ShellLite with integrated debugging and project management:

3. CLI Commands

Command Description
shl <file.shl> Run a ShellLite script
shl Start the interactive REPL
shl compile <file> Compile to native code (LLVM)
shl compile <file> --target js Compile to JavaScript
shl compile <file> --target python Compile to Python
shl init Initialize a new project
shl install Install project dependencies
shl get <user/repo> Install a package from GitHub
shl fmt <file> Format a script
shl check <file> Lint a file (JSON output)
shl help Show help message

4. The Interactive REPL

ShellLite comes with a "Read-Eval-Print Loop" (REPL). This lets you type commands and see results instantly. Just type shl in your terminal to start it.

  ShellLite REPL - English Syntax
========================================
Version: v0.05 | Made by Shrey Naithani
Commands: Type 'exit' to quit, 'help' for examples.
>>> say "Hello"
Hello
>>> 5 + 5
10

Type exit to leave the REPL.

5. Running Scripts

To run a real program, save your code in a text file with the .shl extension (e.g., script.shl). Then run it from the command line:

shl script.shl

6. Project Management

Initialize a Project

shl init

This creates a shell-lite.toml configuration file.

Install Dependencies

shl install

Installs all dependencies defined in shell-lite.toml.

Install a Package

shl get user/repo

Installs a package directly from GitHub.

7. Comments

In your code, you often want to leave notes for yourself. These are called comments. ShellLite uses the # symbol for single-line comments and /* */ for multi-line comments.

# This is a single-line comment. The computer ignores this.
say "Hi"  # You can put comments at the end of lines too.

/*
This is a multi-line comment.
It can span multiple lines.
*/

8. Compilation

ShellLite v0.05.0 introduces native compilation via LLVM:

# Compile to native code (default)
shl compile script.shl

# Compile to JavaScript
shl compile script.shl --target js

# Compile to Python
shl compile script.shl --target python

Next: Language Basics ->