Syntax and grammar - Cave Man Code

CMC is deliberately small. There is one thing per line, blocks end with unga, and notes start with ugg.

The shape of a program

ugg notes first (optional)
grunk boxes
clump helpers
booga / binga / zug / zoop blocks
oga answers

The computer reads from top to bottom. A clump must be made before you call it. A box must be made before you use it.

Lines

One statement per line. No semicolons. Pressing Enter ends the thought.
Text is in quotes. "double" or 'single' both work.
Notes: ugg ignores the rest of the line.
Blank lines do nothing and make your code easier to read.
Case matters for names you invent (rocks and Rocks are different

boxes). The CMC words themselves are always lowercase, but English aliases like PRINT also work because the words are matched without case.

Blocks

Every block starts with a word and ends with unga:

binga <check>
    <things>
unga

booga <count>
    <things>
unga

zug <check>
    <things>
unga

zoop <name> in <pile>
    <things>
unga

clump <name>(<boxes>)
    <things>
unga

Blocks can live inside blocks. Every block needs its own unga:

booga 3
    binga lap == 2
        oga "the middle lap!"
    unga
unga

An unga with nothing open gives a friendly error, and a missing unga does too.

Statements

Statement	Meaning
`oga <things>`	print
`grunk <name> = <thing>`	make a box
`<name> = <thing>`	change a box
`<pile>[<spot>] = <thing>`	change one spot of a pile
`binga` / `booga` / `zug` / `zoop` / `clump`	blocks
`ork <thing>`	give an answer back
`skrib <shape> <args>`	draw
`<clump>(<args>)`	call one of your clumps

A line that only makes an answer without using it (like 5 + 5 alone) gets a kind error that suggests oga.

Expressions

Expressions are how you build values. From strongest glue to weakest:

Level	What	Example
1	numbers, text, names, `(...)`	`42`, `"hi"`, `x`, `(1 + 2)`
2	spots and calls	`pets[0]`, `double(4)`, `snorf(1, 2)`
3	minus in front	`-5`, `-(a + b)`
4	`*` `/` `%`	`6 * 7`, `10 % 3`
5	`+` `-`	`2 + 3`, `a - b`
6	`==` `!=` `<` `<=` `>` `>=` `in` `not in`	`rocks >= 3`, `"cat" in pets`
7	`not`	`not gronk`
8	`and`	`a > 1 and b > 1`
9	`or`	`a == 1 or a == 2`

You never compare three things at once. 1 < 2 < 3 gives a friendly error telling you to use and.

Names you invent

Letters, numbers, and _
Cannot start with a number: rock2 is fine, 2rock is not
Cannot be a CMC word: nom, unga, gronk, and friends are taken
lap is reserved for the magic loop box

Good names say what is inside: rocks, player_name, total_score.

Text details

Text can contain escape codes:

Write	You get
`\n`	a new line
`\t`	a tab
`\"`	a quote
`\\`	a backslash
`\u2764`	a character by code point

Text cannot run over more than one line. Use + to join pieces.

Numbers

Whole numbers: 0, 7, -3, 1000000
Decimals: 3.5, 0.25, -2.75
Division gives a whole number when it fits (4 / 2 is 2), otherwise a

decimal (5 / 2 is 2.5)

% gives the remainder (10 % 3 is 1)

What the parser checks for you

unga without an open block
blocks that never close
binga with no check
zoop without in
skipped commas in skrib
calling something that is not a clump
making up names that CMC already uses

All of these come with a line number and a hint. See Errors.