Getting Started

lil is a simple, fast programming language that can run scripts directly or compile them to standalone C binaries. If you know Python, you’ll find the syntax familiar but much simpler.

What Makes lil Different from Python

• No indentation rules. Use {} for blocks, just like C.
• No colons after if, for, while, or function definitions.
• No self parameter. No __init__. No classes at all.
• No return keyword. Functions return the value of their last expression.
• No import statement. Use include to load other script files.
• Variables are dynamically typed (like Python), but the compiler infers types for C codegen.

What to Read Next

• Installation - build and install lil
• Hello, World - your first lil script
• Basics - syntax overview
• What is lil? - language history and design goals