lua

Lua is a powerful and lightweight scripting language often used as an embedded programming language in various software applications. It was designed with simplicity, efficiency, and extensibility in mind. Lua's command line tool, called lua, allows users to interactively run Lua code and execute Lua scripts directly from the command line.

With the lua command, you can enter individual Lua statements and see their immediate results, making it useful for quick prototyping, testing, and debugging. It provides a straightforward and interactive way to experiment with Lua code snippets before incorporating them into larger projects.

Furthermore, the lua command supports a variety of options, such as specifying the input file to execute, setting specific values for global variables, and controlling the script's behavior. It also offers features like line editing, history recall, and auto-indentation to enhance the interactive experience.

The lua command line tool is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it highly portable. It comes packaged with the Lua interpreter, so no additional installation is required. Users can download the Lua distribution or use package managers to obtain the tool.

Additionally, lua can be used as a standalone program or integrated into other applications, enabling developers to embed Lua scripting capabilities seamlessly. This flexibility makes it an appealing choice for scripting in game engines, scientific simulations, and other software projects.

The lua command line tool also supports a subset of the Lua standard library functions, providing access to various functionalities like file I/O, string manipulation, and mathematical operations. This allows users to create complex scripts directly from the command line, if desired.

Lua's simplicity and ease of integration, combined with the capabilities of its lua command line tool, make it a popular choice among developers for rapid prototyping, scripting, and developing lightweight embedded applications.