Quale Language Support for VS Code

Syntax highlighting and code snippets for the Quale neuroevolution language.

Quale is a domain-specific language for evolving neural networks using NEAT (NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies). Define agent bodies, worlds, fitness criteria, and evolution parameters in .quale files, then let the engine evolve brains that solve your problem.

Features

• Syntax highlighting for all .quale constructs
• Semantic comment system (--, --!, --!!, --[ ]--)
• Code snippets for rapid scaffolding
• Auto-closing brackets and string pairs
• Code folding on brace blocks
• Auto-indentation

Comment System

Quale uses a semantic comment system:

-- Regular comment (discarded by parser)
--! NOTE: this needs calibration    (note - preserved in AST)
--!! FIXME: hardcoded value         (critical - blocks --strict mode)

--[
    Block comments span multiple lines.
    Useful for temporarily disabling sections
    or writing longer explanations.
]--

Syntax	Purpose	Visibility
--	Author notes, scratchpad	Parser discards
--!	Notes, TODOs	Shown in quale check
--!!	Critical issues	Fails quale check --strict
--[ ... ]--	Block comment	Parser discards

Snippets

Prefix	Description
body	Agent body with sensors and actuators
sensor-internal	Internal state sensor
sensor-directional	Directional sensor (4 nodes)
sensor-property	Item property sensor
sensor-social	Social/peer sensor
actuator-directional	Directional actuator (4 nodes)
actuator-trigger	Trigger actuator
item	Item with properties and effects
world	World grid configuration
fitness	Fitness objectives
evolve	Evolution experiment
evolve-full	Evolution with all optional blocks
mutation	Mutation rate block
speciation	Speciation block
convergence	Convergence block
checkpoint	Checkpoint block

Installation

Search for "Quale" in the VS Code Extensions panel, or install from the command line:

code --install-extension Provant.quale-lang

Links

• Quale Documentation
• Quale Engine
• Report Issues