lua(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

LUA(1)                                                                  LUA(1)




NAME

       lua - Lua interpreter


SYNOPSIS

       lua [ options ] [ script [ args ] ]


DESCRIPTION

       lua  is the standalone Lua interpreter.  It loads and executes Lua pro-
       grams, either in textual source form or  in  precompiled  binary  form.
       (Precompiled  binaries  are output by luac, the Lua compiler.)  lua can
       be used as a batch interpreter and also interactively.

       After handling the options, the Lua program in file  script  is  loaded
       and  executed.  The args are available to script as strings in a global
       table named arg and also as  arguments  to  its  main  function.   When
       called  without  arguments,  lua  behaves  as lua -v -i if the standard
       input is a terminal, and as lua - otherwise.

       In interactive mode, lua prompts the user, reads lines from  the  stan-
       dard  input,  and executes them as they are read.  If the line contains
       an expression, then the line is evaluated and the  result  is  printed.
       If  a  line  does  not  contain  a complete statement, then a secondary
       prompt is displayed and lines are read until a  complete  statement  is
       formed or a syntax error is found.

       Before  handling  command line options and scripts, lua checks the con-
       tents of the environment variables LUA_INIT_5_4 and LUA_INIT,  in  that
       order.   If  the contents are of the form '@filename', then filename is
       executed.  Otherwise, the contents are assumed to be  a  Lua  statement
       and is executed.  When LUA_INIT_5_4 is defined, LUA_INIT is ignored.


OPTIONS

       -e stat
              execute statement stat.

       -i     enter interactive mode after executing script.

       -l mod require library mod into global mod.

       -l g=mod
              require library mod into global g.

       -v     show version information.

       -E     ignore environment variables.

       -W     turn warnings on.

       --     stop handling options.

       -      stop  handling options and execute the standard input as a file.


ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

       The following environment variables affect the execution of lua.   When
       defined,  the  version-specific variants take priority and the version-
       neutral variants are ignored.

       LUA_INIT, LUA_INIT_5_4
              Code to be executed before command line options and scripts.

       LUA_PATH, LUA_PATH_5_4
              Initial value of package.cpath, the  path  used  by  require  to
              search for Lua loaders.

       LUA_CPATH, LUA_CPATH_5_4
              Initial  value  of  package.cpath,  the  path used by require to
              search for C loaders.


EXIT STATUS

       If a script calls os.exit, then lua exits with the given  exit  status.
       Otherwise,  lua  exits  with EXIT_SUCCESS (0 on POSIX systems) if there
       were no errors and with EXIT_FAILURE (1 on POSIX systems) if there were
       errors.  Errors raised in interactive mode do not cause exits.


DIAGNOSTICS

       Error messages should be self explanatory.


SEE ALSO

       luac(1)
       The  documentation  at  lua.org,  especially section 7 of the reference
       manual.


AUTHORS

       R. Ierusalimschy, L. H. de Figueiredo, W. Celes



                          Date: 2022/09/23 09:06:36                     LUA(1)