Mac Language Reference

Mac (Meme as Code) is a programming language where memes are first-class citizens. It combines a general-purpose scripting language with a built-in rendering pipeline for creating memes and animated GIFs.

Quick Example

// Create a meme and save it
@two_panel "Writes code" "It works first try" => "miracle.png";

// Or use the full syntax with styles and effects
style bold_red { color: "#FF0000", fontWeight: "bold" }

@blank 720x720 bold_red {
    top: "Mac Language"
    bottom: "Meme as Code"
} |> sepia |> border(3) => "styled.png";

Language Features

Feature	Description
Dynamic typing	Values are strings, numbers, booleans, nil, arrays, or maps
First-class functions	Functions are values, with closures, lambdas, and implicit returns
Classes	Single inheritance, constructors, methods, fields
Enums	Exhaustive sum types with match destructuring (`Result`, `Option`)
Pattern matching	`match expr { Pattern -> result }` with enum destructuring
String interpolation	`"Hello, {name}!"` embeds expressions in strings
Destructuring	`var [a, b] = expr` and `for (var [k, v] in pairs)`
Immutable bindings	`val x = 42` prevents reassignment
Pipe operator	`value \|> func` for pipeline-style composition
Partial application	`partial(fn, arg)` creates pre-filled functions
Expression blocks	`{ statements; tail_expr }` — last expression is the block's value
Meme literals	`@template "text"` creates renderable meme objects
Effects	`blur(5)`, `sepia`, `grayscale` — composable image transforms
Grid layout	`grid 2x2 { ... }` for multi-panel compositions
GIF animation	`gif { ... }` with per-frame timing, transitions, and easing curves
Save operator	`expr => "file.png"` writes output to disk

Version

This reference documents Mac v0.8.0.