doc/lua.1

.\" $Id: lua.man,v 1.14 2020/05/21 19:31:21 lhf Exp $
.TH LUA 1 "$Date: 2020/05/21 19:31:21 $"
.SH NAME
lua \- Lua interpreter
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B lua
[
.I options
]
[
.I script
[
.I args
]
]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B lua
is the standalone Lua interpreter.
It loads and executes Lua programs,
either in textual source form or
in precompiled binary form.
(Precompiled binaries are output by
.BR luac ,
the Lua compiler.)
.B lua
can be used as a batch interpreter and also interactively.
.LP
After handling the
.IR options ,
the Lua program in file
.I script
is loaded and executed.
The
.I args
are available to
.I script
as strings in a global table named
.B arg
and also as arguments to its main function.
When called without arguments,
.B lua
behaves as
.B "lua \-v \-i"
if the standard input is a terminal,
and as
.B "lua \-"
otherwise.
.LP
In interactive mode,
.B lua
prompts the user,
reads lines from the standard 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.
.LP
Before handling command line options and scripts,
.B lua
checks the contents of the environment variables
.B LUA_INIT_5_4
and
.BR LUA_INIT ,
in that order.
If the contents are of the form
.RI '@ filename ',
then
.I filename
is executed.
Otherwise, the contents are assumed to be a Lua statement and is executed.
When
.B LUA_INIT_5_4
is defined,
.B LUA_INIT
is ignored.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.BI \-e " stat"
execute statement
.IR stat .
.TP
.B \-i
enter interactive mode after executing
.IR script .
.TP
.BI \-l " name"
require library
.I name
into global
.IR name .
.TP
.B \-v
show version information.
.TP
.B \-E
ignore environment variables.
.TP
.B \-W
turn warnings on.
.TP
.B \-\-
stop handling options.
.TP
.B \-
stop handling options and execute the standard input as a file.
.SH ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables affect the execution of
.BR lua .
When defined,
the version-specific variants take priority
and the version-neutral variants are ignored.
.TP
.B LUA_INIT, LUA_INIT_5_4
Code to be executed before command line options and scripts.
.TP
.B LUA_PATH, LUA_PATH_5_4
Initial value of package.cpath,
the path used by require to search for Lua loaders.
.TP
.B LUA_CPATH, LUA_CPATH_5_4
Initial value of package.cpath,
the path used by require to search for C loaders.
.SH EXIT STATUS
If a script calls os.exit,
then
.B lua
exits with the given exit status.
Otherwise,
.B 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.
.SH DIAGNOSTICS
Error messages should be self explanatory.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR luac (1)
.br
The documentation at lua.org,
especially section 7 of the reference manual.
.SH AUTHORS
R. Ierusalimschy,
L. H. de Figueiredo,
W. Celes
.\" EOF