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CalcKernel (CK) is a small programming language for writing focused calculations that can be used inside a larger program. A reusable piece of calculation like this is often called a kernel. The word sounds technical, but here it simply means a small job such as finding a total, calculating a price, or changing a list of numbers; it does not mean your computer's operating system.

You do not need special hardware or a computer science background to start learning CK. Begin with ordinary numbers, named steps, and simple choices. First, you will make a small program run on your computer. Later, you can learn how to share a calculation with another program.

What can I make with it?#

CK is useful when you want the calculation itself to be clear and predictable. You can write a step once, give it values, and get a result back. Examples include:

• calculating a total or average;
• applying a discount or score to one item;
• repeating the same calculation for many items;
• providing a small calculation for an existing application to call.

CK focuses on calculations. It does not currently handle screens, websites, files, or general text input and output. A larger app can handle those parts and call a CK calculation when it needs one.

When you build a program for your computer, CK generates native machine code: the instructions your processor can run directly. CK can also optimize repeated calculations when a particular loop is suitable for it. See Performance for a plain-language introduction.

Your first look at CK#

This complete program multiplies a number and prints the result:

fn main() -> i32 {
  let answer: i32 = 6 * 7;
  print_i32(answer);
  print_newline();
  return 0;
}

It prints 42. main is where the program starts when you run it. answer is a name for a whole number, and the last three lines show it, move to a new line, and report that the program finished successfully. The first-program tutorial walks through each step, including how to save and run this file.

The beginner path#

• Get started: download the compiler and run your first program, step by step.
• Learn the language: work through numbers, variables, functions, choices, and repetition.
• Try short exercises: make a few small changes and check what they do.

When you are ready for more#

You can later learn how CK connects to other programs and output formats in Backends, or look up individual commands in the CLI reference. Memory & Safety explains how to share data with a host program. Compiler internals and profile-guided builds are advanced topics; they are not needed to write your first CK program.

For the full language rules, see the language reference.