ColaScript is a language that compiles in JavaScript. This language is similar to Dart, CoffeeScript, Python and PHP, with some original ideas. Compiler based on UglifyJS2. In present time compiler in development. Play with language you can here.

Install

First make sure you have installed the latest version of node.js (You may need to restart your computer after this step).

From NPM for use as a command line app:

npm install cola-script -g

From NPM for programmatic use:

npm install cola-script

From Git:

git clone git://github.com/TrigenSoftware/ColaScript.git
cd ColaScript
npm link .

Usage same as in UglifyJS2, except:

-j, --js, --javascript        Work with JavaScript (by default Cola will
                              expect ColaScript).                    [boolean]
-n, --no-main-binding         Disable `main` binding.                [boolean]

Simple example of usage:

cola main.cola -o main.min.js -m -c    

In browser

In developing more comfortable to compile the code directly in your browser, for this add browser-cola.js to your.html code:

<script src="path/to/browser-cola.js"></script>

Now you can run your Cola-Code:

<script type="text/colascript" src="path/to/your.cola"></script>

If your.cola depends on other scripts in your.html, better to notice browser-cola about it:

<script type="text/colascript" src="angular.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/colascript" src="path/to/your.cola"></script>

Overview

Need to know:

• not always valid-javascript is valid-colascript
• semicolon is always required
• in present time typing is just syntax

Variables

In current version you can set any type which you want, frankly speaking is not good.. In future we will have static typing.

var num = 1;           // valid JavaScript
int i, j = 3;
String str = `someString`; // yes, you can use ` quotes

In ColaScript, like in CoffeScript, exists boolean-aliases:

yes == on == true;
no == off == false	

Strings

We have templating! We can paste variable in string:

console.log("my login in twitter \@@twLogin");

Also we can paset expression this way:

console.log("length of my name @{ name.length }");

and this way:

console.log("first letter in my name is {{ name[0] }}");

Still possible to use raw strings:

console.log(r"\n\r\t@raw");

Any string in ColaScript is multiline:

console.log("

	List1:
		- Write code
		- Drink tea
		- Watch Instagram
		
	List2
		* Write code
		* Read Habrahabr
		* Listen music
		
	");

align goes by closing-quote.

RegExps

Modifer x skips whitespaces and new-line same as if you use multiline RegExp:

RegExp url = /
	^
		(https?:\/\/)?
		([\w\.]+)
		\.([a-z]{2,6}\.?)
		(\/[\w\.]*)*\/?
	$/;

Arrays

Most of array features was taken from CoffeeScript:

Array arr = [0..9];      // [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
// same as
Array arr = [0...10];

arr[0..2] = [584, 404];  // [584, 404, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
console.log(arr[0..2]);  // [584, 404]

one feature getted from PHP:

arr[] = 22;              // [584, 404, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22]

absolutely new feature is:

console.log(arr[]);      // 22 

Functions

You have opportunity to declarate functions without function keyword, with and without type:

function f1(){

}

void f2(){

}

f2(){

}

From Dart we borrowd arrow-functions:

helloString(name) => "Hello @name!";

Arguments have positional or named types and can have default value:

hello(String name:) => console.log("Hello @name!");
hello(name: 'dangreen');                             // Hello dangreen!
	
hello(name: "World") => console.log("Hello @name!");
hello();                                             // Hello World!

// or

hello(String name = "World") => console.log("Hello @name!");
hello('dangreen');                                   // Hello dangreen!
hello();                                             // Hello World!

As in CoffeScript we can declare splated argument

info(name, skills...){
	console.log("My name is @name, my skills:");
	skills.forEach((skill) => console.log("@skill,"));
}

All main functions in root namespace will bind on DOMContentLoaded event:

// lib.cola
	
main(){
	console.log('Hello World from lib.cola!');
}

// main.cola
	
@require "lib.cola";
	
main(){
	console.log('Hello World!');
}

Operators:

• isset operator, ?? alternative - which is better?

    bool a = true, b;
    console.log(isset a ? "seted" : "not seted"); // seted
    console.log(isset b ? "seted" : "not seted"); // not seted
  

• clone of variable:

    Array a = [], b = clone a;
    b[0] = 584; // a == []
  

  if object have method __clone__, object will be copied with it.

• Math.pow operator:

    int pow = 5 ** 2; // 25
  

• CoffeeScript's modulo operator:

    int modulo = 5 %% 3; // 2
  

• Existential assignment from CoffeeScript:

    var undef, def = 5;
  
    def ?= undef; // def == 5
    undef = 6;
    def ?= undef; // def == 6
  

• a ? b, status: done

    var a = undefined, b = 3;
  
    a ? b == 3;
    a = 11;
    a ? b == 1;
  

• is, status: done

    bool isRegExp = /[^\d]+/g is RegExp; // true
  

• isnt, status: done

    bool isntString = 3.14 isnt String; // true
  

Multiple

• ..:, status: done

    Object profile = { 
    	name : "dan",
    	nick : "dan",
    	friends : [
    		{ name : "eric", nick : "eric" }
    	], 
    	"info" : "coder"
    }
    	..name += "iil"
    	..nick += "green"
    	..friends[0]:
    		..name = profile.friends[0].name.capitalize()
    		..nick += "bro";
     	..info += ", student"; 
  

• a > b > c, status: done

    if( 0 < x < 100 ) console.log("x E (0; 100)");
  

Compiler

• @require, status: done

    @require "./library/jquery.js" "./library/underscore.js" 
  

• @include, status: done

    @include "./app/my.js"
  

• @use, status: done

    @use strict
    @use asmjs
    @use closure
  

Expressions

• switch assignment, status: done!

    String weather = switch(temperature){
    	when -10: 'cold';
    	when 20: 'normal';
    	when 35: 'hot';
    };
  

Vars

• multiple assignment, status: done

    [a, b, c] = [b, c, a];
    var {poet: {String name, address: [street, city]}} = futurists;
    [a, ..., b] = someArray; 
  

Classes

• classes

• singletones

• injectors

    class A {
  
        private int a = 123;
    	protected var o = {};
  
    	readonly String about = "class";
  
    	A(a){
    		about = "some else";
    	}
  
    	static Hello() => "hello!";
  
    	public String about() => about;
    }
  
    class B extends A {
  
    	B(){
    		parent();
    		about += "!";  
    	}
  
    	B.anotherConstructor(){
    		about = "ups!";  
    	}
  
    	get some => "some " + about;
    	set some(val) => about += val; 
    }
  
    singleton S { // in fact this is object
    	int x = 45;
    	String s = "txt";
  
    	say(some){
    		alert(some);
    	}
  
    	int operator[](int index) => index + 584;
    	operator[]=(int index, int val) => x = index + val;
  
    	String operator.(String key) => key + "!";
    	operator.(String key, String value) => s = "@key @value";
  
    }
  
    injector String {
    	String replaceAll(a, b){
    		String res = this;
    		while(res.indexOf(a) != -1) res = res.replace(a, b);
    		return res;
    	}
    }
  
    // or 
  
    String String::replaceAll(a, b){
    	String res = this;
    	while(res.indexOf(a) != -1) res = res.replace(a, b);
    	return res;
    }