Dumbell
The Dependency Based Language with Definition
Syntactic Details
Much like Python Dumbell requires an intended structure. Indentation must be consistent between tabs and spaces, and within a certain scope must be consistent as well.
Data Types
Integers, floating point numbers, strings, and booleans are all immutable as they are in Python. More complicated data structures, such as lists, are mutable and are passed by reference.
Integers
32-bit values that are immutable. These are defined by any number that does not have a "." somewhere.
Floating Points
64-bit values that are immutable. These are defined by a number with a "." somewhere. However, floating point numbers must start with a digit. A value .42 will cause an error.
Strings
Immutable values that are defined by being placed in either a pair of double quote, "Hello World", or single quotes, 'Hello World'. Special escaped characters are the "\n", "\t" and "\\"
Booleans
Values that are defined as true and false.
Lists
A structure defined by comma separated values within two square brackets: [1, 2, 3].
Operators
Arithmetic
The arithmetic operators are addition (+), subtraction (-), division (/), multiplication (*), modulus (%), unary negation (-), and power (**). These can only work on integers and floating point values, with the exception of the addition operator which acts as concatenation for both strings and lists.
Boolean
The following operators return boolean values.
Equality (==) and Non-Equality (!=) work on all basic data types.
Greater Than (>), Greater than or equal to (>=), Less Than (<), and Less than or equal to (<=) only work when comparing any combination of integers to floating point values.
And (and), Or (or) and Logical Not (not) only work on boolean values.
Assignment
The assignment operator is simply the = character, and the right hand side will be evaluated and stored in the left hand side.
Definitions
The definition operator is simply the := character, and the right hand side will be stored in the left hand side, but not evaluated! This calculation will only be evaluated when needed. If the name found on the left hand side is found on the right hand side, then, if it exists, the current definition replaces the name on the left hand side.
Partial Evaluation
If the ! operator is found in an evaluation, it will be ignored. However, if found in a definition, then it will evaluate the name, or parenthesis group to the right and replace the old identifier in the definition.
Control Flow
For each, the structures create a new scope. Any variables defined inside the new scope will not be available one the scope is exited. However, old values can be redefined.
If/Else Statements
These are of the structure:
Where if the boolean value is true it evaluates the if body, and the else body otherwise.
There is also support for else if statements of the form:
Where the first match decides which statements body will be evaluated.
For any boolean value, it must be of a boolean type.
While Loops
These are of the form:
Where the inner body will be evaluated over several iterations as long as the boolean value evaluates to true.