Introduction

This is the Python version of EasyCoder, a high-level English-like scripting language suited for prototyping and rapid testing of ideas. It operates on the command line.

The JavaScript version of EasyCoder, which provides a full set of graphical features to run in a browser, is at

Repository: https://github.com/easycoder/easycoder.github.io
Website: https://easycoder.github.io

Quick Start

Install EasyCoder in your Python environment:

pip install easycoder

Write a test script, 'hello.ecs', containing the following:

print `Hello, world!`

This is traditionally the first program to be written in virtually any language. To run it, use easycoder hello.ecs.

The output will look like this:

EasyCoder version 5
Compiled <anon>: 1 lines (2 tokens) in 0 ms
Run <anon>
1-> Hello, world!

It's conventional to add a program title to a script:

!   Test script
    script Test
    print `Hello, world!`

The first line here is just a comment and has no effect on the running of the script. The second line gives the script a name, which is useful in debugging as it says which script was running. When run, the output is now

EasyCoder version 5
Compiled Test: 5 lines (4 tokens) in 0 ms
Run Test
5-> Hello, world!

As you can guess from the above, the print command gives the line in the script it was called from. This is very useful in tracking down debugging print commands in large scripts.

Here in the repository is a folder called scripts containing some sample scripts:

benchmark.ecs allows the performance of EasyCoder to be compared to other languages if a similar program is written for each one
tests.ecs is a test program containing many of the EasyCoder features
fizzbuzz.ecs is a simple programming challenge often given at job interviews

Graphical programmming

EasyCoder is currently being extended to include a graphical programming environment. A single demo script graphics-demo.ecs is included in the scripts directory. To run it, first install the Python graphics library if it's not already present on your system. On Linux this is done with sudo apt install python3-tk. On Windows it's pip install tk. Then give the command easycoder -g scripts/graphics-demo.ecs.

As development progresses this demo script will be extended to include new features as they are added. EasyCoder graphics are handled by a library module, ec_renderer that can be used outside of the EasyCoder environment, in other Python programs.

EasyCoder programming reference

The language comprises a general-purpose core package, which can be enhanced by plugins to provide special features on demand.

The core package

Extending the language

EasyCoder can be extended to add new functionality with the use of 'plugins'. These contain compiler and runtime modules for the added language features. EasyCoder can use the added keywords, values and conditions freely; the effect is completely seamless. There is an outline example in the plugins directory called example.py, which comprises a module called Points with new language syntax to deal with two-valued items such as coordinates. In the scripts directory there is points.ecs, which exercises the new functionality.

A plugin can act as a wrapper around any Python functionality that has a sensible API, thereby hiding its complexity. The only challenge is to devise an unambiguous syntax that doesn't clash with anything already existing in EasyCoder.