Tutorial

1. Hello, Nox

Run a file#

Create hello.nox:

print("Hello, Nox!")

Hello, Nox!

Run it:

noxc run hello.nox

noxc type-checks the file, compiles it to a native executable, and runs it. The statements at the top level of the file are the program — there is no main function to write.

Build an executable#

noxc build -o hello hello.nox
./hello

noxc build produces a standalone binary with the Nox runtime linked in. It starts instantly, has no dependencies on a Nox installation, and can be copied to another machine of the same platform.

Check without compiling#

noxc check hello.nox

check runs only the front end (parsing and type checking), so it is the fastest way to see errors while you edit.

Start a project#

noxc init demo
cd demo
noxc run main.nox

noxc init creates a directory with a nox.json manifest and a main.nox. A project is what you need once you have more than one file or want to use third-party packages (chapter 8).

Comments and layout#

Nox uses Python's layout: blocks are indented (with spaces), # starts a comment, and one statement goes on each line.

# a comment
total: int = 1 + 2   # a trailing comment
print(total)

3

A taste of what is different#

Unlike Python, every variable has a type, written after the name when it is first created. The compiler checks types before the program runs — a misspelled name or a str where an int is expected is reported immediately, not discovered in production.

price: int = 20
tax: int = price // 5
print(price + tax)

24

The next chapter explains the types.

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