Language Overview

Draft is a statically-typed, compiled programming language designed for simplicity and performance. Its word-oriented syntax makes code readable and approachable while maintaining the power needed for systems programming.

Design Goals

Goal	Description
Simplicity	Minimal syntax rules. Easy to learn in hours.
Performance	Compiles to native code. Zero-cost abstractions.
Safety	No null pointer exceptions. Explicit error handling.
Portability	Target native, WASM, web, embedded from one codebase.
Productivity	Great tooling, fast compile times, clear errors.

Language Characteristics

Word-Oriented Syntax

Draft uses English words for control flow instead of symbols:

if @score > 90
    write("Excellent!")
else if @score > 70
    write("Good!")
else
    write("Keep trying!")
fin if.

Variable Prefix

All variables use the @ prefix:

@name = "Draft"
@version = 1
@is_awesome = true

Member Access

Use # for member/property access:

@length = @string#length
@first = @list#first
@body = @request#body

Explicit Block Terminators

Every block has a clear ending marker:

action greet(@name)
    write("Hello, " + @name)
fin action.

if @ready
    launch!
fin if.

for @item in @items
    process(@item)
fin for.

No Garbage Collection

Draft uses ownership and manual memory management. Memory is predictable and real-time safe.

Compilation Targets

Draft compiles to multiple backends:

Target	Use Case
Native	Desktop apps, servers, CLI tools
WebAssembly	Browser apps, plugins, edge computing
Web	Full-stack web applications
Embedded	Microcontrollers, IoT devices
Mobile	iOS and Android apps

Standard Library

Draft ships with a rich standard library:

Module	Purpose
io	Input/output operations
fs	File system access
math	Mathematical functions
strings	String manipulation
collections	Arrays, maps, sets
json	JSON encoding/decoding
http	HTTP client and server
time	Date and time handling
process	Process management

Next Steps

Continue to the Syntax Reference to learn Draft’s complete syntax.