Motoko

A simple language for writing Internet Computer (IC) actors.

User Documentation & Samples

• Building, installing, developing on Motoko.
• Overview slides.
• Small samples.
• Language manual and general documentation
• Concrete syntax

Introduction

Motivation and Goals

• High-level language for programming IC applications

• Simple ("K.I.S.S.") design and familiar syntax for average programmers

• Good and convenient support for actor model

• Good fit for underlying Wasm and IC execution model

• Anticipate future extensions to Wasm where possible

Key Design Points

• Simple class-based OO language, objects as closures

• Classes can be actors

• Async construct for direct-style programming of asynchronous messaging

• Structurally typed with simple generics and subtyping

• Overflow-checked number types, explicit conversions

• JavaScript/TypeScript-style syntax but without the JavaScript madness

• Inspirations from Java, C#, JavaScript, Swift, Pony, ML, Haskell