toylanguage

Toylanguage is a small, toy programming language designed for education and exploration. It introduces beginners to core concepts such as control flow, data structures, and functions without the complexity of full-scale languages. It is typically described as a teaching tool rather than a language for production software.

Design goals emphasize readability, simplicity, and portability. The language features a minimal syntax, dynamic typing, and a compact standard library. It is implemented as an interpreter with a REPL to encourage experimentation, aiming for approachable behavior rather than industrial performance.

Core features include numbers, strings, booleans, lists, and maps, along with first-class functions and closures. Indentation denotes blocks, and statements are separated by newlines. The language favors forgiving error messages and automatic memory management via garbage collection. The standard library provides basic I/O and data utilities suitable for teaching exercises.

History and ecosystem: Toylanguage originated in community education projects during the 2010s and has since spawned various implementations, including interpreters written in popular scripting languages such as Python and JavaScript. It is used in classrooms and coding clubs worldwide as a stepping stone to more complex languages, with tutorials and sample programs to illustrate core ideas.