Lua tutorial

Use a lightweight embeddable language for scripting and interactive applications.

lua16 lessons

local message = "Hello from Lua"
print(message)

Designed forGame, embedded, and scripting developers

Learning formatShort explanations, examples, practice connections

Source privacyCompiler text remains inside your browser

COURSE CURRICULUM

16 lessons in a clear order

Finish one section at a time or jump directly to a concept you need.

Foundations

Lua interpreters, chunks, and embedding

Learn how lua interpreters, chunks, and embedding works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Statements, expressions, and blocks

Learn how statements, expressions, and blocks works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Core concepts

Local variables, globals, and lexical scope

Learn how local variables, globals, and lexical scope works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Numbers, strings, booleans, nil, and tables

Learn how numbers, strings, booleans, nil, and tables works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Operators, metamethods, and coercion

Learn how operators, metamethods, and coercion works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Control flow

Conditionals and truthy decisions

Learn how conditionals and truthy decisions works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Loops, iterators, and generic for

Learn how loops, iterators, and generic for works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Data and composition

Functions, closures, and multiple returns

Learn how functions, closures, and multiple returns works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Tables as arrays, maps, and records

Learn how tables as arrays, maps, and records works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Strings, patterns, and formatting

Learn how strings, patterns, and formatting works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Reliability and structure

Errors, assertions, and protected calls

Learn how errors, assertions, and protected calls works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Modules, require, and package paths

Learn how modules, require, and package paths works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Applied engineering

Metatables, prototypes, and object patterns

Learn how metatables, prototypes, and object patterns works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Files, coroutines, and host integration

Learn how files, coroutines, and host integration works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Testing Lua modules and embedded behavior

Learn how testing lua modules and embedded behavior works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.

Capstone

Capstone: an embeddable Lua extension

Learn how capstone: an embeddable lua extension works in Lua, why the underlying model matters, and how to apply it in a small program without hiding important trade-offs.