Lamdu

This project aims to create a next-generation, live programming environment that radically improves the programming experience.

See the Main Page

Installation

NodeJS & Build Time

To drastically speed up Lamdu's installation under any OS, you can install an appropriate version of NodeJS beforehand, such that node is in your $PATH. The version has to be at least 6.2.1 but below 8.0.0 (due to the removal of tail call optimization from node at version 8) ¹.

Enter node -v into terminal. If NodeJS is installed (and in your $PATH), this will print your current version. If it isn't, you'll get an error.

If you do not install NodeJS, Lamdu's installation will build it from source.

^{**1. For Fedora Users:** Fedora packages have very long names. This may lead to some confusion. Consider `nodejs-1:6.11.2-1.fc25.x86_64`. This example indicates a NodeJS version of `6.11`, plus a little. The `-1:` is not a part of the version.}

osx

requires brew and git:

brew install leveldb haskell-stack
git clone --recursive https://github.com/lamdu/lamdu
cd lamdu
stack setup
stack install
~/.local/bin/lamdu

ubuntu

Optional: Install NodeJS from node's apt repository:

curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

requires stack (version 1.6.1 or above)

sudo apt-get update -qq
sudo apt-get install git zlib1g-dev libglew-dev libleveldb-dev -yq
sudo apt-get install libxrandr-dev libxi-dev libxcursor-dev libxinerama-dev -yq
git clone --recursive https://github.com/lamdu/lamdu
cd lamdu
stack setup
stack install
~/.local/bin/lamdu

If the above fails at stack setup or stack install, it may because stack is older than 1.6.1. To upgrade stack, run the following commands:

stack upgrade
hash -r

NOTE: ~/.local/bin should be in your $PATH for the upgraded stack to take effect.

fedora

Optional: Install NodeJS with sudo dnf insall nodjs. Please see the starred note under "NodeJS & Build Time".

requires stack (1.6.1 or above)

sudo dnf install -y gcc gcc-c++ gmp-devel libXrandr-devel libXi-devel
sudo dnf install -y libXcursor-devel mesa-libGL-devel libGLU-devel
sudo dnf install -y libXinerama-devel leveldb-devel glew-devel zlib-devel
git clone --recursive https://github.com/lamdu/lamdu
cd lamdu
stack setup
stack install
~/.local/bin/lamdu

If the above fails at stack setup or stack install, it may because stack is older than 1.6.1. To upgrade stack, run the following commands:

stack upgrade
hash -r

NOTE: ~/.local/bin should be in your $PATH for the upgraded stack to take effect.

arch linux

requires stack (1.6.1 or above)

sudo pacman -S leveldb glfw libxrandr libxi libxcursor libxinerama
git clone --recursive https://github.com/lamdu/lamdu
cd lamdu
stack setup
stack install
~/.local/bin/lamdu

nix (any linux distribution)

requires Nix

git clone --recursive https://github.com/lamdu/lamdu
cd lamdu
nix-env -f default.nix -iA lamdu

Tutorial

Note: In the shortcut key combinations, "left" refers to the left cursor key.

Simple expressions

At the top we have an interactive shell, where we can type calculations.

The ⋙ is our prompt to this shell. Think of it like a calculator: you enter an expression, hit a button, and it tells you the answer. The next time you use the calculator, you clear whatever's in there and enter a new expression. Same here.

To type the calculation above:

• Type "1+s" at the prompt (⋙). Notice we have chosen "1" for the addition's left argument. However, we have only begun to type the second argument: it starts with an "s". Lamdu knows we have finalized the left argument because we have moved on from it, indicated by the +. But we have done nothing to indicate that just s is the second argument. To help us finalize the right argument, Lamdu has presented a menu of type-appropriate choices containing "s" in their names – "containing", not just "starting with". This menu updates as we type.
• Next, we will flesh out the "s" into a "sqrt". As of September 2017, "sqrt" should already be selected in the nearby menu, because it is alphabetically the first function in the library to contain an "s" in its name and to output a number. However your menu, take the path of fewest keystrokes: continuing to type the function's name reduces the menu options to just those that match. Cursor keys allow you to select from the menu. Hit space to chose your selected menu option.
• Type "5".
• Select the whole expression by pressing shift+left until the whole REPL expression is selected.
• Type "/2". Notice that Lamdu automatically inserted the parentheses.

Lamdu displays the evaluation of each expression, whether the whole or a subexpression. Such an automatic display is called an "annotation". The annotation of an expression appears below that of any child expression. For example, the evaluation of (1 + sqrt 5) / 2 appears below that of its child expression, (1 + sqrt 5). The former is 1.61... and the latter is 3.23....

To keep the expression size from bloating, some annotations are shrunk, like that of the sqrt 5 above, which is 2.23.... To see this in normal size, navigate to the expression by going to the sqrt, or to the 5, and press shift+left.

We have just expressed the golden ratio. To save it and give it a name, navigate to the ⋙ sign and press return. Press return to name the new definition. Type "golden" and enter. You do not need to explicitly save - as your Lamdu program is always saved.

Creating a function

Note: Ctrl-Z is undo.

To create the function above:

• Navigate to the "New..." button and press space.

Type factorial x=.

Note: Lamdu spaces your code automatically.

When you press space at the left-hand-side of a definition, Lamdu adds a parameter to the function and does not add a "space" as it would in a normal text editor.

The equals sign after factorial appears without typing it because all definitions have one. However, after factorial x, you may type an equals sign anyways, or skip over it with the right cursor key.

Now type the body of the function: if x=0 1 x*fac(x-1)

We've now written the function. Let's use it.

• Go back up to the REPL, just right of the ⋙ symbol. Like with calculators, we want to clear anything in there before using it. If there is an expression there, press shift+left until all is selected, then hit delete.
• Type "fac 5" and press space.

Lamdu should now display the evaluation of the whole function, as well as its subexpresssions. The active if branch (the else) is highlighted via a green background on the | symbol. The | represents a suspended computation.

This function is recursive and invoked additional applications of itself. To navigate between these function applications, navigate to the arrows under the x parameter and press right or left.

Further Exploration / Help Documentation

In the lower-right of Lamdu's screen, you'll see that F1 brings up contextual help.

It shows all the key bindings currently active, which changes according to the current context.