This page is a top level directory of all Lua content at this wiki, grouped by topic.

• Introduction to Lua
  • LearningLua – introduction to Lua (a guided directory)
  • LuaTutorial – an informative tutorial written and reviewed by Lua users
  • SampleCode – snippets of useful Lua code
  • LuaComparison – how Lua compares with other languages.
  • LuaFaq – unofficial, community-maintained frequently asked questions
  • LuaLinks – a hand-edited list of useful Lua links
  • LuaBooks – list of books on the subject of Lua
• Language Definition and Features
  • LuaShortReference – concise summary of the Lua 5.1 syntax and core libraries
  • LuaReferenceManualComments – user comments and annotations on the Lua Reference Manual.
  • LuaSymbols? – the purpose of symbol characters within Lua code
  • LuaVirtualization – which operations can/cannot be hooked
  • Lua changes – LuaFiveThree (5.3), LuaFiveTwo (5.2), MigratingToFiveOne (5.1), LuaFiveFeatures (5.0), LuaVersionCompatibility (portability across versions)
  • HiddenFeatures – describes unsupported and undocumented features of the standard Lua distribution
  • LuaScoping – on variable scope and upvalues
  • LuaTrivia – test your Lua knowledge
  • ZenOfLua – grok it
  • GarbageCollection – info on Lua‘s garbage collection
  • FloatingPoint – explains why double floating point is perfectly fine for most integer applications
  • LightUserData – explains the purpose and use of lightuserdata
  • SimpleCommandLineScriptExecution – execute a script
  • StringIndexing – supporting index and slice operators on strings
  • MechanismNotPolicy – comments on Lua‘s "mechanism not policy" design principle
• Code Structure / Programming Paradigms
  • LocalsVsGlobals – Comparison between local and global variables
  • Control structures / structured programming
    • SwitchStatement – emulating a C-style switch statement in Lua (design pattern)
    • GotoStatement – goto statement
    • WithStatement – implementing a "with" structure (like in JavaScript? etc.)
    • ContinueProposal – continue statement
    • TernaryOperator – conditional expression
  • Module Programming
    • ModuleDefinition – approaches to define modules
    • See also "Modules/Libraries" below
  • ObjectOrientedProgramming – object oriented programming techniques in Lua
    • CustomOperators – approaches to using custom operators
    • PointAndComplex – comments on operator overloading in Lua
  • AspectOrientedProgramming – coding with pointcuts [1] and advices [2] in Lua
  • Declarative and Functional Programming
    • NamedParameters – implementing named parameters in Lua
    • FiltersSourcesAndSinks – discusses chaining of filters, which are functions that accept successive chunks of input, and produce successive chunks of output
    • FiltersAndPipesReloaded – presents a coroutines based framework for working with filters and pipes
    • CurriedLua – currying functions in Lua
    • GenericInputAlgorithms – functional, AWK-style text processing in Lua
    • FunctionalLibrary – porting several convenient functional utilities form Haskell, Python, etc.
    • ShortAnonymousFunctions – expressing anonymous functions more tersely than function() return ... end
    • FunctionalTuples – implementing tuples in terms functions (design pattern and tutorial)
    • MutableFunctions – using functions to simulate the semantics of tables (design pattern)
    • RecursiveDataTypes – handling recursive data types (design pattern and tutorial)
    • ListComprehensions – list comprehension implementations
    • RandomSample – lazy tables, a simple illustration of lazy evaluation (design pattern)
    • FuncTables – memoization of functions using callable tables (design pattern, code, and tutorial)
    • HammingNumbersVariant – enumerate hamming numbers, with lazy list (function)
    • ImmutableObjects – topics of immutability/const-ness in Lua
    • StructuralPatternMatching – pattern matching, ML style.
  • Concurrent and Event-driven Programming
    • MultiTasking – multitasking/multithreading approaches in Lua
    • FiniteStateMachine – finite state machine (FSMs) (design pattern)
    • Coroutines
      • CopasExample – TCP socket server utilizing Copas library (examples)
      • CoroutinesAsConnectionHandlers – scaffolding for handling multiple sockets using coroutines (design pattern)
      • CoroutinesAsEventHandlers – scaffolding for handling event responders (design pattern)
      • FunWithCoroutines – tricks using coroutines: reverse string and control inversion (design patterns)
      • PcallAndCoroutines – issues with pcall and coroutines
  • Source Processing / Metaprogramming
    • MetaProgramming – macros, token filters, facilities for syntax extensions, and source processors
    • LuaGrammar – Lua grammar, lexers, and parsers
    • SourcePreprocessing – tricks to preprocess source code.
    • LuaTokenParsing – altering Lua by fiddling with the token stream
    • MetaLua – alternative Lua compiler with compile-time metaprogramming and syntax extensions
    • MetaLuaAbstractSyntaxTree – The syntax tree produced by Metalua and consumed by various utilities
  • ErrorHandling – topics on error and exception handling
    • ResourceAcquisitionIsInitialization – automatically releasing acquired resources on scope exit, RAII
  • BitwiseOperators – bitwise operations
  • StructurePacking – pack/unpack C structure data
  • FileSystemOperations – file system operations
  • DatabaseAccess – database programming
  • DateAndTime – date and time handling
  • StringInterpolation – approaches to interpolating variables in strings
  • CommandLineParsing – command-line parsing
  • TypeIntrospection – determining types of objects at runtime
  • UniversallyUniqueIdentifiers – various ways to created universally unique identifiers (UUID‘s) in Lua
  • PlatformDetection – detect OS platform type from Lua
  • ArtificialIntelligence – AI in Lua
  • LuaDataFormats – using Lua as a data representation language
  • LuaDesignPatterns – additional design patterns in Lua
  • LuaHacks – unconventional approaches to problems in Lua
• Data Structures/Types – see DataStructures
• Algorithms / Data Manipulation
  • CopyTable – return deep copy of table
  • Ordering Iterators
    • OrderedTable – iterate over tables in the order of key insertion (function and design pattern)
    • OrderedTableSimple – iterate over tables in the order of key insertion (function and design pattern)
    • OrderedAssociativeTable – iterate over a table using a sorted index (function and design pattern)
    • RangeIterator – a ‘range‘ iterator function that acts like basic for loops (function)
    • SortedIteration – iterating a table in order by keys (function)
    • SortedIterationSimple – iterating a table in order by keys (function)
    • GeneralizedPairsAndIpairs – next, pairs, and ipairs reimplemented to call metamethods (design pattern and functions)
    • NextMetamethodForIndexTable – next()-like function for iterating table against table __index (function and design pattern)
  • Indexing
    • MultipleKeyIndexing – indexing with multiple keys
  • Sorting
    • LazySort – sort only as much of a table as is necessary (function and tutorial)
    • LuaSorting – a sample shellsort implementation in pure Lua (function)
  • Search in sorted arrays
    • BinarySearch – searches for a value in a sorted array via a binary search algorithm (function)
    • BinaryInsert – inserts a value into a sorted array via a binary search algorithm (function)
    • InterpolatingSearch – searches for a value in a sorted array via an interpolating search algorithm (function)
  • StringRecipes – solutions to various common string manipulation needs
  • RandomStrings – generate random strings from defined char sets (function)
  • To-string conversion and output
    • StringInterpolation – interpolating variables into strings in Lua (functions and design patterns)
    • TableSerialization – converting tables to strings and vice versa
    • LuaPrintf – emulation of printf string formatting (function)
    • FormattingNumbers – format numbers in monetary format (function)
    • HexDump – dump a string in typical ‘hex dump‘ format
  • Numerical: HammingNumbers | HammingWeight
• Building, Binding, and Packaging
  • BuildingLua – notes on compiling Lua and some build packages
  • Special linking:
    • BinToCee – generate a C file to load and run a Lua program
    • LuaProxyDll – create a proxy DLL for statically linked Lua
    • LoadLibrary – discussion of issues with Win32 LoadLibrary module loading
    • ApplicationBinaryInterface – notes on binary interface (ABI) compatibility in Lua modules
    • EasyManualLibraryLoad – greatly simplifies manual loading of Lua 5.1 shared library
  • BuildingModules – How to properly build C extension modules for Lua.
    • BindingCodeToLua – how to call or bind C or C++ code to Lua
    • LuaRocks – installs Lua modules as self-contained packages (with dependency info) called "rocks"
  • LuaBuildSystems – Build systems implemented or expressed in Lua
  • PlatformSpecific – Platform-specific breakdown of the Lua universe
  • VeritasMachine – Objective-C bind of Lua on iOS, with most feature supported.
• Extending and Using Lua
  • LuaAddons – a directory of "things for Lua" that are outside this site
  • Modules/Libraries
    • LuaForge – contains modules (and applications)
    • LibrariesAndBindings – list of libraries implemented in Lua or implemented in another language (e.g. C) but having a Lua interface
    • LuaRocks – installs Lua modules as self-contained packages (with dependency info) called "rocks"
    • LuaSearch – intends to become a centralized locater of Lua modules and documentation
    • SampleCode – modules and code snippets on this wiki
    • LuaProjects – wiki pages that mirror projects
  • Modifying Lua and Enhancement Proposals
    • LuaPowerPatches – "mix and match"-friendly patches to the official Lua distribution
    • ModifyingLua – example of changing Lua itself
    • FeatureProposals – discussions about new features or feature changes.
• Problem Domains (Application Domains)
  • GUI and Graphics
    • GraphicalUserInterfaceToolkits, LibrariesAndBindings and LuaGraphics
  • AnsiTerminalColors – console colors
  • Text and XML Processing
    • LuaXml – methods of handling XML in Lua (Lua code and C-bindings to parsers)
    • GenericInputAlgorithms – functional, AWK-style text processing in Lua
    • FiltersSourcesAndSinks – discusses chaining of filters, which are functions that accept successive chunks of input, and produce successive chunks of output
    • SlightlyLessSimpleLuaPreprocessor – macro processor
    • TextTemplate – macro processor
    • Text Editing or Formatting Lua Code
      • LuaEditorSupport – syntax highlighting, auto-formatting, etc.
      • SciteScripts – Lua scripts for the SciTE text editor
      • SourceCodeFormatter – may be helpful to format your code for the wiki
      • VmMerge – merges Lua source code with VM disassembly
  • Unicode/localization/charsets
    • LuaUnicode – how to use Unicode in Lua
    • LuaLocales – how to use locales in Lua
  • Other
    • ModuleReview – modules by domain with an independent assessment of them
    • LibrariesAndBindings – Lua libraries and bindings to existing libraries and environments
• Lua Implementation
  • LuaSource – comments on the source code and implementation of Lua. (LuaSourceTable - some notes about Lua‘s table implementation)
  • LuaPowerPatches – "mix and match"-friendly patches to the official Lua distribution
  • ModifyingLua – example of changing Lua itself
  • LuaImplementations – Reimplementations of Lua
• Code Improvement
  • Quality and Testing
    • ProgramAnalysis – static code analysis or dynamic program analysis) of Lua code
    • UnitTesting – how to write unit tests with Lua
    • DebuggingLuaCode – tools for Lua code debugging
    • DetectingUndefinedVariables – detecting undefined locals
    • LuaTypeChecking – approaches to type checking in Lua
    • LuaStyleGuide – recommended Lua coding practices
  • Performance and Optimization
    • OptimisationTips – making Lua code more efficient, including profilers
    • ProfilingLuaCode – profilers for Lua code.
  • Security: LuaSecurity – security aspects of Lua
• Archive (pertains to old versions of Lua)
  • LuaCheia – wish to make a full-featured language based on Lua that rivals other scripting languages
  • PackageSystem – an embryonic package system for Lua 5
  • LuaBinaryModules – allows pre-built libraries to be loaded at runtime, providing an alternative to the usual compile and link headaches
  • VisualStudioSyntaxCheck – a tool for MS Visual Studio 6.0 to check the syntax of Lua files
  • LuaInRealTimePrograms
• Community
  • LuaWorkShop – workshops gathering Lua users
  • UserGroups – local and regional informal gatherings and groups
  • LuaUses – examples of projects around the world that use Lua
  • HelpWanted – listing of help wanted for community projects
  • WishList – list of wished-for libraries and bindings and such
  • IrcChannel – a chat room for discussing Lua
  • [#LuaLang] – Twitter hashtag
  • [lua-l] – Lua mailing list
  • LuaDevelopmentModel – how Lua functions and evolves
  • LuaStats – Lua (un)popularity statistics
  • LuaNews – summary of the latest happenings in the Lua world
• lua-users website
  • WikiHelp – info about how to use this wiki
  • CastOfCharacters – who‘s who on this site
  • LuaUsersLottery – how we pay for lua-users.org costs
  • GuestBook – feedback about this site