FORMA Language Skill

Name: forma
Rating: 92
Author: sfw

FORMA is an indentation-based, AI-optimized systems programming language. It uses short keywords, design-by-contract, capability-based sandboxing, and a rich stdlib of 316+ builtins.

Core Syntax

•Indentation-based blocks (like Python), no braces needed
•Comments: # single line
•Variables: x := value (mutable by default), x: Type = value (annotated)
•Last expression is implicit return value
•Generics use [T] not <T>
•F-strings: f"hello {name}, {x + 1}"

Keywords (Short Forms)

Short	Meaning	Short	Meaning
`f`	function	`m`	match
`s`	struct	`wh`	while
`e`	enum	`lp`	loop
`t`	trait	`br`	break
`i`	impl	`ct`	continue
`us`	use/import	`ret`	return
`md`	module	`as`	async
`pub`	public	`aw`	await
`mut`	mutable	`sp`	spawn
`ref`	reference	`un`	unsafe

Literals: true/T, false/F, none/N, Some, Ok/ok, Err/err

Types

Primitives: Int, Float, Bool, Char, Str, (), ! Sized ints: i8 i16 i32 i64 i128 u8 u16 u32 u64 u128 isize usize Collections: [T] list, [T; N] fixed, {K: V} map, {T} set, (A, B) tuple Special: T? Option, T!E Result, &T shared ref, &mut T mutable ref Async: Task[T], Future[T], Sender[T], Receiver[T], Mutex[T]

Operators

code

Arithmetic:   + - * / %
Comparison:   == != < <= > >=
Logical:      && || !
Bitwise:      & | ^ << >>
Assignment:   := (bind)  = += -= *= /= %= (reassign/compound)
Range:        .. (exclusive)  ..= (inclusive)
Special:      ? (propagate Result error)
              ?? (unwrap Option with default)
              as (type cast)
              -> (return type)  => (match arm)
              :: (path)  . (field/method)
              @ (contract attribute)

Functions and Closures

forma

f name(a: Int, b: Int) -> Int
    a + b

f single_expr(a: Int, b: Int) -> Int = a + b

as f async_fn() -> Str!Str                   # async function
    aw some_future()?

f with_ref(ref data: [Int]) -> Int           # shared ref param
f with_mut(ref mut data: [Int]) -> Unit      # mutable ref param

# Closures (typed parameters required)
doubled := map([1, 2, 3], |x: Int| x * 2)
transform := |x: Int| -> Int x * 2 + 1

Struct, Enum, Trait, Impl

forma

s Point
    x: Float
    y: Float

s Pair(Int, Int)                             # tuple struct
s Unit                                       # unit struct

e Color = Red | Green | Blue
e Option[T] = Some(T) | None

t Printable
    f to_string(&self) -> Str

i Point
    f distance(&self) -> Float
        sqrt(self.x * self.x + self.y * self.y)

i Printable for Point
    f to_string(&self) -> Str
        f"{self.x}, {self.y}"

Control Flow

forma

if cond then expr else expr                  # inline expression form
if cond
    block
else if cond
    block
else
    block

m value                                      # match
    Pattern -> expr
    Variant(x) -> expr
    Point { x, y } -> x + y                 # struct destructure
    _ if guard -> expr                       # guard
    _ -> default

wh condition                                 # while
    body

for x in collection                          # for-in
    body

lp                                           # infinite loop
    if done then br

'outer: for x in xs                          # labeled loop
    for y in ys
        if x == y then br 'outer

Error Handling

forma

# Propagate with ? (Result only)
f load(path: Str) -> Str!Str
    content := file_read(path)?
    Ok(content)

# Default with ?? (Option only)
name := env_get("USER") ?? "unknown"
val := str_to_int("abc") ?? 0

# Unwrap with ! (panics on error)
db := db_open("app.db")!

# Match on Result/Option
m result
    Ok(v) -> use(v)
    Err(e) -> handle(e)

m str_to_int(s)
    Some(n) if n > 0 -> Ok(n)
    Some(_) -> Err("not positive")
    None -> Err("not a number")

Contracts (Design by Contract)

forma

@pre(n >= 0)
@post(result > 0, "must be positive")
f factorial(n: Int) -> Int
    if n <= 1 then 1 else n * factorial(n - 1)

@post(old(balance) + delta == result)
f deposit(balance: Int, delta: Int) -> Int
    balance + delta

@pre(values.len() > 0)
@post(forall i in 0..result.len()-1: result[i] <= result[i+1])
@post(permutation(values, result))
f sort(values: [Int]) -> [Int]
    sort_ints(values)

Named patterns: @nonempty(x), @sorted(x), @unique(x), @permutation(a,b), @nonnegative(x), @positive(x), @bounded(x,lo,hi), @unchanged(x), @pure

Functional Operations

forma

doubled := map([1, 2, 3], |x: Int| x * 2)           # [2, 4, 6]
evens := filter([1, 2, 3, 4], |x: Int| x % 2 == 0)  # [2, 4]
total := reduce([1, 2, 3], 0, |acc: Int, x: Int| acc + x)  # 6
any([1, 2, 3], |x: Int| x > 2)                       # true
all([1, 2, 3], |x: Int| x > 0)                       # true
vec_sort([3, 1, 2])                                   # [1, 2, 3]

# Option chaining
map_opt(Some(5), |x: Int| x * 2)                     # Some(10)
and_then(Some(5), |x: Int| if x > 0 then Some(x * 10) else None)  # Some(50)
flatten(Some(Some(42)))                               # Some(42)

Async

forma

as f work() -> Int
    result := aw some_future()
    result

task := sp work()
value := aw task
results := aw await_all(tasks)

Modules & Imports

forma

us module.path
us module.{A, B}
us std.io                    # stdlib module

md name
    pub f helper() -> Int = 0

Reference Parameters

forma

f sum(ref arr: [Int]) -> Int         # read-only reference
    total := 0
    for x in arr
        total := total + x
    total

f sort(ref mut arr: [Int]) -> Unit   # mutable reference

# Calling with ref
total := sum(ref data)
sort(ref mut data)

Main Function

forma

f main()
    # program logic here
    print("hello")

f main() -> Int                      # explicit exit code
    if ok then 0 else 1

CLI Commands

bash

forma run <file>                        # run program
forma run <file> --allow-all            # all capabilities
forma run <file> --allow-read --allow-network  # specific capabilities
forma run <file> --no-check-contracts   # disable contract checking
forma check <file>                      # type check only
forma check <file> --error-format json  # JSON diagnostic output
forma explain <file> --format json      # contract explanations
forma verify <path> --report            # verify contracts with examples
forma build <file>                      # build native binary (LLVM)
forma fmt <file>                        # format source code
forma new <name>                        # create new project
forma init                              # init project in current dir
forma repl                              # interactive REPL

Capability flags: --allow-read, --allow-write, --allow-network, --allow-exec, --allow-env, --allow-unsafe, --allow-all

Security: Prefer least-privilege flags over --allow-all. The --allow-exec flag permits shell command execution and should be treated as full shell access. Do not use --allow-all on untrusted code.

Key Builtins (Summary)

I/O: print(v) eprintln(v) str(v) debug(v) Math: abs(n) sqrt(x) pow(b,e) sin(x) cos(x) log(x) floor(x) ceil(x) round(x) String: str_len(s) str_contains(s,sub) str_split(s,d) str_trim(s) str_slice(s,i,j) str_replace(s,old,new) str_to_int(s) Collection: len(c) vec_push(v,x) vec_pop(v) vec_get(v,i) map_get(m,k) map_insert(m,k,v) map_keys(m) Functional: map(arr,fn) filter(arr,fn) reduce(arr,init,fn) any(arr,fn) all(arr,fn) Option/Result: unwrap(v) unwrap_or(v,d) is_some(v) is_none(v) is_ok(v) is_err(v) map_opt(opt,fn) File: file_read(p) file_write(p,c) file_exists(p) file_append(p,c) dir_list(p) dir_create(p) JSON: json_parse(s) json_stringify(v) json_get(o,k) json_object() json_set(o,k,v) HTTP: http_get(url) http_post(url,body) http_serve(port,handler) http_response(code,body) DB: db_open(path) db_execute(db,sql) db_query(db,sql) db_close(db) Async: channel_new() channel_send(s,v) channel_recv(r) mutex_new(v) sleep_async(s) await_all(tasks) Random: random() random_int(min,max) shuffle(list) Time: time_now() time_sleep(s) time_format(ts,fmt) Regex: regex_match(pat,s) regex_find_all(pat,s) regex_replace(pat,s,r) Path: path_join(a,b) path_parent(p) path_filename(p) path_extension(p) Process: exec(cmd) args() cwd() exit(code)

316+ builtins total across I/O, math, string, collection, file, JSON, HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, DNS, database, async, random, time, regex, compression, hashing, FFI, and more. Run forma complete <file> --position 1:1 for a full list.

Stdlib Modules

forma

us std.core    # clamp, gcd, lcm
us std.io      # file_read_lines, file_write_lines, puts
us std.string  # str_join, str_replace_first, str_index_of
us std.vec     # int_vec_index_of, int_vec_sum, int_vec_max
us std.iter    # range, enumerate
us std.map     # map_get_or, map_update

Common Patterns

File I/O

forma

f main()
    # Read a file (returns Result — use ? or !)
    content := file_read("input.txt")!
    lines := str_split(content, "\n")
    for line in lines
        print(line)

    # Write a file
    file_write("output.txt", "hello world")!

    # Append to a file
    file_append("log.txt", f"entry: {time_now()}\n")!

    # Check existence
    if file_exists("config.json")
        cfg := json_parse(file_read("config.json")!)
        print(json_get_str(cfg, "name"))

HTTP Server

forma

f handler(req: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse
    m req.path
        "/" -> http_response(200, "OK")
        "/json" -> http_json_response(200, json_object())
        _ -> http_response(404, "Not Found")

f main()
    http_serve(8080, handler)!

Database

forma

f main()
    db := db_open("app.db")!
    db_execute(db, "CREATE TABLE t (id INTEGER, name TEXT)")!
    rows := db_query(db, "SELECT * FROM t")!
    for row in rows
        print(row_get_str(row, 1))
    db_close(db)

Struct with Methods

forma

s Point
    x: Float
    y: Float

i Point
    f distance(&self) -> Float
        sqrt(self.x * self.x + self.y * self.y)

    f translate(&self, dx: Float, dy: Float) -> Point
        Point { x: self.x + dx, y: self.y + dy }

f main()
    p := Point { x: 3.0, y: 4.0 }
    print(f"distance: {p.distance()}")
    p2 := p.translate(1.0, 2.0)
    print(f"moved to: {p2.x}, {p2.y}")