🌗 Regolith

An elegant Pseudocode-like language for beginners built in Python

What is it?

Regolith is a dynamically-typed Pseudocode-like programming language mainly meant for beginners learning how to code; it uses a logic-first approach rather than a language-first one. It features a custom compiler written in Python v3.6. All Regolith files have a .rego extension.

This README provides an in-depth review of the language, its nuances, and syntax.

The Name

Regolith is the blanket of loose rock deposits on the surface of space rocks, planets, and moons. It represents the flexibility and surface-level nature of the language. Crazy connection, I know. For more information about the name, check out its Wikipedia page.

Why build it?

I built Regolith while learning about compilers and interpreters. It's based off Pseudocode because of its use in teaching beginners how to use logic to solve problems. I use Python for almost every project I take up, be it at work or for side-projects; I decided to use the language to make Regolith owing to its simplicity and structure.

I hope Regolith is as easy to pick up as Pseudocode and its variants. I've tried to follow common Pseudocode practices taught at schools around the world. This way, there's a bit of familiarity when someone interacts with it for the first time.

Samples

Here's the Fizzbuzz program written in Regolith:

PROCEDURE fizzbuzz(n : INT)
    FOR (i <- 0 TO n)
        IF (i MOD 3 = 0 AND i MOD 5 = 0) THEN
            OUTPUT ("FizzBuzz")
            
            IF (i MOD 3 = 0) THEN
                OUTPUT ("Fizz")
            ELSE
                IF (i MOD 5 = 0) THEN
                    OUTPUT ("Buzz")
                ELSE
                ENDIF
            ENDIF
        ELSE    
            OUTPUT (i)
        ENDIF
    ENDFOR
ENDPROCEDURE

fizzbuzz(50)

What can you do?

Here's a list of everything you can do with Regolith:

• Basic expressions
• Arithmetic (add, subtract, multiply, divide, modulus, exponentiation)
• Printing

Note: I'll be updating this list as and when new features are added. Check out TODO.md for a potential timeline.

Usage

To run the barebones version of Regolith, fire up a terminal window and clone this repo:

$ git clone https://github.com/rish-16/Regolith.git

Next head to the regolith directory and run the main.py file providing the Regolith filename as an argument using the --file or -f flag:

$ cd regolith
$ python main.py --file test.rego

License

MIT