dfinity/motoko

Simple high-level language for writing Internet Computer canisters

Motoko ·

A safe, simple, actor-based programming language for authoring Internet Computer (IC) canister smart contracts.

User Documentation & Samples

• Building, installing, and developing on Motoko.
• Overview.
• Small samples.
• Language manual.
• Concrete syntax.
• Documentation sources.
• Base library documentation.
• Motoko-san: a prototypical deductive verifier.

Introduction

Motivation and Goals

• High-level language for programming IC applications

• Simple ("K.I.S.S.") design and familiar syntax for average programmers

• Good and convenient support for actor model

• Good fit for underlying Wasm and IC execution model

• Anticipate future extensions to Wasm where possible

Key Design Points

• Simple class-based OO language, objects as closures

• Classes can be actors

• Async construct for direct-style programming of asynchronous messaging

• Structurally typed with simple generics and subtyping

• Overflow-checked number types, explicit conversions

• JavaScript/TypeScript-style syntax but without the JavaScript madness

• Inspirations from Java, C#, JavaScript, Swift, Pony, ML, Haskell

Related repositories

• Base library
• Vessel package manager
• Example projects
• Motoko Playground · (online IDE)
• Embed Motoko code snippets · (online interpreter)
• VS Code extension · (install)
• Browser and Node.js bindings · (npm package)

Community resources

• Awesome Motoko
• Blocks - an online low-code editor for Motoko
• MOPS - a Motoko package manager hosted on the IC
• Motoko Bootcamp · (YouTube channel)
• Motoko library starter template

Contribution

See our CONTRIBUTING and CODE OF CONDUCT to get started.