Getting started
Do I need to install Aura globally?
For 0.1.0-alpha, prefer the installer (versioned under ~/.aura):
curl -fsSL https://aura.fadosoft.com/install.sh | bash
export PATH="$HOME/.aura/bin:$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
aura new hello && aura run helloContributors can still cargo install --path crates/aura-cli from a clone, or run in-tree: cargo run -p aura-cli -- ….
Details: Install. Freeze notes: 0.1.0-alpha on GitHub.
Why is a C compiler required?
build / run use a C backend: Aura → C → system cc, linked with aura_rt.c. LLVM is the longer-term backend (RFC-004).
Where are examples?
Under corpus/ in the monorepo, plus dogfood packages examples/notes and examples/wc (CLI args + String tools). Prefer corpus over stale snippets in chat.
Language
Is everything nullable like old Java?
No. T is non-null; T? is opt-in. See Types & nullability.
Result or exceptions?
- Expected failure →
Result<T, E> - Unexpected →
throw/try/catch
Class == compares fields?
No — identity (reference). Compare fields explicitly if you need structural equality.
Are tasks / async ready?
Vision and RFCs are Accepted, but full task runtime surface is still limited in code. Check the roadmap map.
Toolchain
Docs vs RFCs — which wins?
- User docs teach
- RFCs define
If they disagree, file an issue; RFCs are the design source of truth until docs catch up.
Why is my std.io import failing?
Use package mode (aura.toml + directory target), ensure std/ is present (or auto-prelude resolves), and see Standard library.
Does aura test need a framework package?
MVP discovery runs @test functions via the CLI. std.assert helps with assertions. Broader framework design: RFC-011.
Site & contributing
How do I add a guide page?
- Add
docs/guide/my-page.mdwith frontmatter (title,section,order,summary) - Rebuild the site — it appears under
/docs
How do I propose a language change?
Start from docs/rfc/TEMPLATE.md, follow status rules, add corpus when behavior is user-visible. See Contributing.