Syntax Basics

Overview

Echo uses a simple, C-style syntax: semicolons end statements, braces define blocks, and method calls can be chained.

Syntax

name: str = "Echo";

if name == "Echo" {
    say(name.upperCase());
}

Example

value: int = 10;
value = value + 1;

if value > 10 {
    say("big");
} else {
    say("small");
}

Output

big

Notes

• Every normal statement ends with ;.
• if, while, for, foreach, and block-form fn use braces and do not take a trailing semicolon.
• Whitespace is mostly ignored outside tokens.
• Newlines improve readability, but they are not syntax.
• Method chaining works on expressions:

name: str = ask("Name: ").trim().upperCase();

Common Mistakes

Adding Python-style bare blocks

while true
    say("loop");

Treating newlines as statement terminators

name: str = "Echo"
age: int = 1;

Forgetting that . starts method calls

a.b is not property access in the object-oriented sense. It is method-call syntax when followed by (...).

See Also

• Variables and Types
• Operators
• Control Flow