Quick Start

Quick Start

Let’s get you writing LOVE-LANG code in the next few minutes.

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Your First Programme

Every LOVE-LANG program begins with a base statement — a key/value pair that defines a name and assigns it a value.

hello.love

# The simplest LOVE programme
name = "Hello, World!"
version = 1
description = "My first LOVE programme"

LOVE uses = or the keyword is as its assignment operator. Both are equivalent:

assignment.love

greeting = "Hello"
farewell is "Goodbye"

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1. Install LOVE-LANG

   Clone the repository and build from source:

   git clone https://github.com/love-metalang/love-lang
   cd love-lang
   gleam build

2. Write your first programme

   Create a file called hello.love:

   hello.love

   @Import[Prelude::*]
   
   name = "LOVE-LANG"
   version = 0.0.1
   author  = "you"
   license = "MIT"
   description = "The List Oriented Virtualized Evaluator"

3. Run it

   love run hello.love

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Working with Lists (L1 Expressions)

LOVE treats everything as typed lists. An L1 expression wraps values in single brackets:

lists.love

colours = [red green blue]
numbers = [1 2 3 4 5]
mixed   = ["hello" 42 :keyword]

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Calling Functions (L2 Expressions)

Double brackets denote operations — applying a function to arguments:

math.love

result = [[ + 1 2 ]]             # 3
squared = [[ * result result ]]  # 9

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Type Annotations

LOVE has a rich type system. Annotate any key with @[Type] or :Type:

typed.love

name    @[String]    = "Alice"
age     :Number      = 30
active  @[Boolean]   = true
tags    @[List]      = [developer lisp love]

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Importing Modules

Use @Import to load modules from the standard library:

imports.love

@Import[Prelude::*]
@Import[Invariants::DependencyInjection]
@Import[Stdlib::Math]

result = [[ Math.sqrt 144 ]]

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A Real Example: Static Site Generator

Here is a real LOVE programme from the examples directory — a static site generator bootstrap:

ssg.love

@Import[Prelude::*]
@Import[Invariants::DependencyInjection]

@DependencyInjection
[#mode Automatic]
init = [#! [args :List[String]] ]


@DependencyInjection
[#mode Automatic ::alias[AutomaticMode]]
init = [#! [args :List[String]]
         @and[>]
         result :List = args
                       -> @apply[self]
                       -> @create[List <- args]
                       -> @filter[@and[True]]   ]

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Next Steps

Language Reference

Explore the full syntax specification, including all five bracket levels.

Read Reference →

Compiler Pipeline

Understand the OPERA → MATERIALIZE → SIMULATE compilation workflow.

Read Guide →