Book

Leaders

Why statement leaders exist, and how to read a line at a glance.

Leaders at statement start

Statement leaders carry control and binding. The words on the rest of the line stay free for domain names: nothing is reserved for if, for, or return. You learn a small glyph set once. Structure always begins at column zero of the statement.

How to read a line

The first non-space character is the leader, or you are inside an expression. A space follows the leader (except bare < / >). { opens on that same line. A glyph mid-expression is an operator; statement start decides leadership.

Table

~ name = expr     ; mutable bind / reassign
$ name = expr     ; immutable bind
# NAME = expr     ; compile-time const (SCREAMING_SNAKE)
% struct_name { } ; struct shape
@ struct_name { } ; extra members (other files ok)
? expr { }        ; if
: expr { }        ; else-if
: { }             ; else / match default
! expr            ; return err (result)
^ expr            ; return
* { }             ; loop
* item : items { }; for-in
<                 ; break
>                 ; continue
| expr { arms }   ; match
+ call(args)      ; spawn task
- handle          ; join task
/ path            ; import
\ name           ; export

Dual-use glyphs

Some characters are leaders only at statement start and operators in expressions. + and - schedule or join at statement start and do arithmetic in expressions. * multiplies. / divides. ! is prefix not. < / > compare. The same rule covers % and |. Position decides the role.