Languages

Humal

Humal is a programming language with human-readable syntax that uses indentation (like Python) and compiles directly to JavaScript (supporting both ESM and CommonJS standards).

Humal does not add new semantics. It removes the punctuation you don't need: no {}, no ;, no : after conditions. Everything else is JavaScript.

In Humal's basic syntax, the use of curly and round brackets is optional they can be included or omitted. However, a minimal amount of them is required when working with complex functions, specific methods, and library calls. Humal does not aim to replace JavaScript; instead, the language is designed to make the syntax cleaner, more elegant, and easier to read and understand.

In basic Humal syntax, square and round brackets are optional meaning they can be used or omitted. However, they are required to a minimal extent in complex functions, specific methods, and library calls. Humal does not aim to replace JavaScript; instead, it seeks to make the syntax cleaner, more elegant, and easier to read and understand.

How it works

No AST, no parser, no braces for blocks, no semicolons, no colons after control statements. String literals and comments are left untouched, so a keyword inside a string stays a string

The core idea is simple. Humal retains familiar JavaScript syntax but removes unnecessary punctuation and uses indentation to define code blocks, resulting in cleaner code that is easier to learn and understand.

Install the VS Code extension

Download the .vsix file, then in VS Code go to the Extensions view, click the three dots, select Install from VSIX..., and choose the downloaded .vsix file.

Install

Install Humal globally:

npm install -g @qvelop444/humal

You can also install Humal locally in a project:

npm install --save-dev @qvelop444/humal

Create a Humal Project

Create a new Humal project:

humal init my-app
cd my-app
npm install

Start the development environment:

humal dev

This creates a basic project structure:

my-app/
├── src/
│   └── main.hum
├── humal.config.json
├── package.json
└── .gitignore

CLI Commands

Run a Humal file directly:

humal main.hum

Use CommonJS:

humal build main.hum --cjs

Use ESM:

humal build main.hum --esm

Check your Humal project with TypeScript and ESLint:

humal check

Build the project:

humal build

Watch Humal files for changes:

humal watch

Start development mode with automatic rebuilding and restarting:

humal dev

Format Humal files:

humal fmt

When no module format is specified, Humal can detect the format from the source code.

Basic Syntax

Print

print "Hello World!"

Variables

let name = "Bob"
let age = 25
let city = "Warsaw"

print name
print age
print city

Math

let a = 10
let b = 5

let sum = a + b
let difference = a - b
let product = a * b
let division = a / b

print sum
print difference
print product
print division

Conditional statement

let years = 20

if years >= 18
    print "Adult"
else
    print "Underage"

Additional conditional branches

let score = 75

if score >= 90
    print "Excellent"
elif score >= 70
    print "Good"
elif score >= 50
    print "Pass"
else
    print "Fail"

Loop

let i = 0

while i < 5
    print i
    i++

Loop exit statement

let counter = 0

while true
    if counter >= 5
        break

    print counter
    counter++

Next-iteration statement

let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

for number in numbers
    if number == 3
        continue

    print number

Functions

fn greet(name)
    print "Hello " + name

greet("Bob")
greet("Alex")

Function with return

fn add(a, b)
    return a + b

let result = add(10, 20)
print result

Input

let user = input "What is your name? "

print "Hello " + user

destructuring

let user = { name: "Bob", age: 25 }

let { name, age } = user

print name
print age

Basic switch

let value = 2

switch value
    case 1
        print "one"
        break

    case 2
        print "two"
        break

    default
        print "other"

Multiple case labels

let value = 2

switch value
    case 1
    case 2
    case 3
        print "one, two or three"
        break

    default
        print "other"

Expressions in case

let value = 10

switch value
    case 5 + 5
        print "expression works"
        break

    default
        print "no match"

More code examples and full documentation can be found on the official website: https://humal.netlify.app