Panda

Status

The whole thing is very much a proof of concept for now. I'm learning as I go along, it's not all easy but it's fun!

The language is still missing several very important features: no classes, no objects (dictionaries)... After this is done, I will focus on writing a few examples and translating the language to French; and then maybe try to write a very simple 2D graphics library or integrate with an existing one.

Philosophy

Panda is a programming language designed with children in mind. It cross compiles to JavaScript, like CoffeScript (and others), because I want to make sharing creations easy, and what is easier than running code in the browser?

I am French, and I believe that one of the big obstacles in teaching programming to kids is the language barrier. That's why one of the aims of this project is also to create a language that has several translations, starting with French and English.

Another long-term goal of Panda is to provide an easy to use graphics library that can be used to interact with the HTML5 <canvas> element.

JavaScript is not an easy language; it is full of quirks and corner cases. The inspiration for the syntax of Panda is mostly Python, with a bit of Ruby, and CoffeeScript.

Examples

Nothing in here is set in stone, and some of this code doesn't even compile yet.

English version

# Lines starting with '#' are comments.

# 1. Primitive data types and operators
#======================================

# The basics look just like Python (for the English version!)

# Numbers
3  # => 3
2.51  # => 2.51

# Math
1 + 1  # => 2
8 - 1  # => 7
10 * 2 # => 20
35 / 5 # => 7

# Enforce precedence with parentheses
(1 + 3) * 2  # => 8

# Booleans
true
false

# Negate with not
not true  # => false
not false  # => true

# Equality is == (this is actually JavaScript's ===)
1 == 1  # => true
2 == 1  # => false

# Inequality is != (js: !==)
1 != 1  # => false
2 != 1  # => true

# More comparisons
1 < 10  # => true
1 > 10  # => false
2 <= 2  # => true
2 >= 2  # => true

# Comparisons can be chained like in Python/CoffeeScript
1 < 2 < 3  # => true
2 < 3 < 2  # => false



# 2. Variables and collections
#=============================

# Declare a variable using the var keyword
var x = 5

# Let's make a list
var my_list = []

# You can also fill it from the beginning
var some_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]

# You can create ranges of values with [a..b]
[5..8]  # => [5, 6, 7, 8]

# Check if something is in a list with 'in'
3 in [1, 3, 5]  # => true


# Objects are pretty much the same as in js
var my_object = {'property1': value1, 'property2': value2}



# 3. Control flow
#================

# If statements are ended with the 'end' keyword like in Ruby
if x > 5:
    console.log("I'm over 5!")
else if x < 5:
    console.log("Under 5 here")
else:
    console.log("This is mambo number 5")
end


# For loops work like in Python, iterating over arrays
for thing in thing_list:
    do_something_with(thing)
end


# While loops are pretty straightforward
var x = 0
while x < 4:
    console.log(x)
    x += 1
end

French version

# Les lignes qui commencent par un # sont des commentaires.

# 1. Types primitifs et opérateurs
#=================================

# La base ressemble à du Python traduit

# Nombres
3  # => 3
2.51  # => 2.51

# Maths
1 + 1  # => 2
8 - 1  # => 7
10 * 2 # => 20
35 / 5 # => 7

# Les parenthèses indiquent la précédence
(1 + 3) * 2  # => 8

# Booleens
vrai
faux

# La négation se fait avec pas
pas vrai  # => faux
pas faux  # => vrai

# L'égalité se teste avec == (équivalent du === en js)
1 == 1  # => vrai
2 == 1  # => faux

# Inégalité != (js: !==)
1 != 1  # => faux
2 != 1  # => vrai

# Comparaisons
1 < 10  # => vrai
1 > 10  # => faux
2 <= 2  # => vrai
2 >= 2  # => vrai

# Les comparaisons peuvent etre mises bout à bout comme en Python/CoffeeScript
1 < 2 < 3  # => vrai
2 < 3 < 2  # => faux



# 2. Variables and collections
#=============================

# Declarons une variable a l'aide du mot cle 'var'
var x = 5

# Construisons une liste
var ma_liste = []

# On peut la remplir des le debut
var une_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]

# Il est possible de creer des intervalles d'entiers: [a..b]
[5..8]  # => [5, 6, 7, 8]

# Tester si un élément fait partie d'une liste
3 dans [1, 3, 5]  # => vrai


# Les objects sont pratiquement les memes qu'en JavaScript
var mon_objet = {'propriété1': valeur1, 'propriété2': valeur2}



# 3. Structures de controle
#==========================

# Les blocs 'if' sont delimites par le mot 'fin', un peu comme en Ruby
si x > 5:
    console.log("Plus de 5 !")
sinon si x < 5:
    console.log("Moins que 5")
sinon:
    console.log("Exactement 5")
fin


# Les boucles for fonctionnent comme en Python, itérant sur une liste
pour truc dans liste_de_trucs:
    faire_qqchose(truc)
fin


# Boucle while
var x = 0
tantque x < 4:
    console.log(x)
    x += 1
fin