NL

A Natural-Language programming language. Built using Codex.

A few examples are inside the nl_projects directory.

How it works

Write any code in pure english, and have it compiled and run as regular code would. The only rules are:

  • Must have the .nl file extension
  • Every command is separated by a line-break
  • Make sure to keep the number of stuff per-line to a minimum. Doing so will result in better compilation.
  • comments are put in-between parentheses

Example: Guessing game.

Compiling a guessing game program looks something like this:

First you write the code in NL:

(the following is a guessing game)
create a maximum number of 100

Repeat forever...
Store a number between 1 and the maximum number. Call it the answer.
Increase the maximum number by 20
Tell the user that you are thinking of a number between 0 and the maximum number. Tell the user that they only have 14 chances to get it right.
Repeat 14 times...
Ask the user for a guess, and Convert it to a number
if the guess is equal to the answer, congrad the user and end the loop.
otherwise if the guess is higher or lower than the answer, tell the user.
Tell the user how many chances are left.
when the loop has ended, if the user has not guessed the answer, tell the user game over and then exit the game

When you compile the code, it gets copied into a directory and auto-indented (This stage can be skipped if desired, but doing so will result in greater likelyhood of erroneous code.):

Create a maximum number of 100

Repeat forever...
    Store a number between 1 and the maximum number. Call it the answer.
    Increase the maximum number by 20.
    Tell the user that you are thinking of a number between 0 and the maximum number. Tell the user that they only have 14 chances to get it right.
    Repeat 14 times...
        Ask the user for a guess, and Convert it to a number
        If the guess is equal to the answer, congradulate the user and end the loop.
        Otherwise if the guess is higher or lower than the answer, tell the user.
        Tell the user how many chances are left.
    When loop has ended, If user has not guessed the answer, tell the user game over and then exit the game.

Which then gets compiled to python code and executed:

import random

# CMD: Create a maximum number of 100
max = 100
# CMD: Repeat forever...
while True:
    # CMD: Store a number between 1 and the maximum number. Call it the answer.
    answer = random.randint(1,max)
    # CMD: Increase the maximum number by 20.
    max = max + 20
    # CMD: Tell the user that you are thinking of a number between 0 and the maximum number. Tell the user that they only have 14 chances to get it right.
    print("I am thinking of a number between 0 and " + str(max))
    # CMD: Repeat 14 times...
    for i in range(0,14):
        # CMD: Ask the user for a guess, and Convert it to a number
        guess = int(input("Guess a number:"))
        # CMD: If the guess is equal to the answer, congradulate the user and end the loop.
        if guess == answer:
            print("You guessed it!")
            break;
        # CMD: Otherwise if the guess is higher or lower than the answer, tell the user.
        elif guess > answer:
            print("Your guess is too high")
        else: 
            print("Your guess is too low")
        # CMD: Tell the user how many chances are left.
        print("You have " + str(14 - i) + " chances left")
    # CMD: When loop has ended, If user has not guessed the answer, tell the user game over and then exit the game.
    if guess != answer:
        print("Game over")
        exit()

API List of commands (in compilation.py)

  • compile(nl_code_path)
  • compileAndRun(nl_code_path)
  • run(python_code_path)
  • compileWithoutCorrection(nl_code_path) Compiles without creating an indentation file to compile.

GitHub

View Github