Welcome to berry's documentation!
=================================

.. sidebar:: About

   * :ref:`genindex`
   * :ref:`search`

Berry is a ultra-lightweight dynamically typed embedded scripting language. It is designed for lower-performance embedded devices. The Berry interpreter-core's code size is less than 40KiB and can run on less than 4KiB heap (on ARM Cortex M4 CPU, Thumb ISA and ARMCC compiler).

The interpreter of Berry include a one-pass compiler and register-based VM, all the code is written in ANSI C99. In Berry not every type is a class object. Some simple value types, such as int, real, boolean and string are not class object, but list, map and range are class object. This is a consideration about performance. Register-based VM is the same meaning as above.

Berry has the following advantages:

   * Lightweight: A well-optimized interpreter with very little resources. Ideal for use in microprocessors.
   * Fast: optimized one-pass bytecode compiler and register-based virtual machine.
   * Powerful: supports imperative programming, object-oriented programming, functional programming.
   * Flexible: Berry is a dynamic type script, and it's intended for embedding in applications. It can provide good dynamic scalability for the host system.
   * Simple: simple and natural syntax, support garbage collection, and easy to use FFI (foreign function interface).
   * RAM saving: With compile-time object construction, most of the constant objects are stored in read-only code data segments, so the RAM usage of the interpreter is very low when it starts.

Features
^^^^^^^^

Base Type
    * Nil: nil
    * Boolean: true and false
    * Numerical: Integer (int) and Real (real)
    * String: Single quotation-mark string and double quotation-mark string
    * Class: Instance template, read only
    * Instance: Object constructed by class
    * Module: Read-write key-value pair table
    * List: Ordered container, like [1, 2, 3]
    * Map: Hash Map container, like { 'a': 1, 2: 3, 'map': {} }
    * Range: include a lower and a upper integer value, like 0..5
Operator and Expression
    * Assign operator: =, +=, -=, \*=, /=, %=, &=, \|=, ^=, <<=, >>=
    * Relational operator: <, <=, ==, !=, >, >=
    * Logic operator: &&, \|\|, !
    * Arithmetic operator: +, -, \*, /, %
    * Bitwise operator: &, \|, ~, ^, <<, >>
    * Field operator: .
    * Subscript operator: []
    * Connect string operator: +
    * Conditional operator: ? :
    * Brackets: ()
Control Structure
    * Conditional statement: if-else
    * Iteration statement: while and for
    * Jump statement: break and continue
Function
    * Local variable and block scope
    * Return statement
    * Nested functions definition
    * Closure based on Upvalue
    * Anonymous function
    * Lambda expression
Class
    * Inheritance (only public single inheritance)
    * Method and Operator Overload
    * Constructor method
    * Destructive method
Module Management
    * Built-in module that takes almost no RAM
    * Extension module support: script module, bytecode file module and shared library (like \*.so, \*.dll) module
GC (Garbage collection)
    * Mark-Sweep GC
Exceptional Handling
    * Throw any exception value using the raise statement
    * Multiple catch mode
Bytecode file support
    * Export function to bytecode file
    * Load the bytecode file and execute


.. toctree::
   :hidden:
   
   English <source/en/Home>
   Spanish <source/es/Home>
   Berry API <source/api>