emattfolk/ggj2022

Global Game Jam 2022

Sylt-lang

Sylt is a statically typed dynamic programming language that compiles to Lua.

For information about how to use the language and get started with writing games in it, check out our language documentation at https://sylt.rs.

What makes Sylt unique?

The short version:

• Strict typechecking that doesn't forces you to specify types
• High levels of abstractions
• Fast recompiles
• Fast runtime
• Fast iteration times
• Simplicity in the syntax
• C-style syntax with the taste of functional

Sylt has become a mix of functional-programming concepts mixed with more procedural code. The language itself is very small but still expressive. The typechecker is what sets it apart from Python and Lua, which usually end up being used for similar use-cases.

The Sylt typechecker is meant to not get in your way, so there's no need to write types anywhere in your code. If your program is correct the typechecker will be all fine with it.

This is meant to give the same rapid iteration speed as working in something like Python or Lua, but with the added peace of mind a strict static typechecker gives you.

Sylt and game jams

The language is made for game jams, and has been used in multiple. Unfortunately the language has been rewritten multiple times between each jam, and since there's no goal of making Sylt backwards compatible it means there are (currently) no games made in the most recent verision of the language.

Some cool small programs

fib :: fn a ->
    if a < 2 do
        a
    else
        fib(a - 1) + fib(a - 2)
    end
end

start :: fn do
    fib(23) <=> 28657
end