First Steps: Programming for Absolute Beginners

First Steps: Programming for Absolute Beginners

Welcome! If you have never written a line of code before, you are in the right place.

What is Programming?

At its core, programming is just giving a computer a list of instructions. A script (like a .nox file) is like a recipe. You tell the computer exactly what to do, step by step, and it follows those steps perfectly.

In NSL (Nox Scripting Language), we write these instructions in plain text.

Variables (Boxes for Data)

Think of a variable as a labeled box where you can store information. When you create a box, you have to tell the computer what kind of information belongs inside. This is called a type.

In NSL, here are the two most common types:

1. int (Integer): Used for whole numbers.
2. string: Used for text.

// We create a box named 'age' for an integer, and put 10 in it.
int age = 10;

// We create a box named 'name' for text, and put "Alice" in it.
string name = "Alice";

Mixing Text and Variables

Often, you want to print out a message that includes your variables. In NSL, we do this using backticks (`) and the ${} symbol.

string greeting = `Hello there, ${name}! You are ${age} years old.`;
// The computer sees: "Hello there, Alice! You are 10 years old."

Control Flow (Making Decisions)

Sometimes, you only want the computer to do something if a certain condition is true. We use if and else for this, just like in real life (“If it is raining, take an umbrella, else wear sunglasses”).

int temperature = 20;

if (temperature > 25) {
    yield "It is hot outside!";
} else if (temperature < 15) {
    yield "It is cold outside!";
} else {
    yield "The weather is perfect.";
}

(Note: yield is how we tell NSL to print a message to the screen!)

Loops (Doing Things Repeatedly)

Computers are great at doing repetitive tasks very fast. If you want to do something 5 times, you use a loop.

The while Loop

A while loop keeps running as long as a condition is true.

int count = 1;

while (count <= 3) {
    yield `Count is ${count}`;
    count = count + 1; // Add 1 to count
}
// This will print:
// Count is 1
// Count is 2
// Count is 3

The for Loop

A for loop is a shortcut for counting.

for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
    yield `Count is ${i}`;
}

(This does exactly the same thing as the while loop above!)

Functions (Recipes)

A function is a mini-program or recipe. You give it some inputs (ingredients), it does some work, and it gives you an output (the finished dish).

Here is a function that takes two numbers and adds them together:

// 'int' at the start means this recipe returns an integer.
int addNumbers(int a, int b) {
    int total = a + b;
    return total; // Give the answer back
}

Now you can use this recipe anywhere:

int result = addNumbers(5, 10); // result is now 15

Your First Program

Every NSL script must have a special function called main. This is the starting point—the front door of your program. When you run your script, the computer looks for main() and starts reading instructions from there.

Let’s put it all together:

// A helper function
int multiply(int a, int b) {
    return a * b;
}

// The front door of your program
main(string myName) {
    yield `Welcome to NSL, ${myName}!`;

    int mathResult = multiply(4, 5);
    yield `4 times 5 is ${mathResult}`;

    return "Finished!"; // Programs end when main returns
}

Great work! You now understand variables, conditions, loops, and functions. Let’s, head over to Getting Started to learn how to actually run this code on your computer.