Variables & Types

Declaring Variables

In Ry, variables are declared using the data keyword. Ry is dynamically typed, meaning you don't need to specify the data type explicitly; the interpreter infers it from the value assigned.

data message = "Hello Ry!"
data count = 42
data pi = 3.14159

Data Types

Ry supports several fundamental data types out of the box:

• Number: Represents both integers and floating-point numbers.
• String: A sequence of characters enclosed in double quotes.
• Boolean: Represents true or false.
• Char: A single character enclosed in single quotes.
• List: An ordered collection of values.
• Map: A collection of key-value pairs.
• Nil: Represents the absence of a value.

Strings & Interpolation

Strings in Ry are powerful. You can embed variables directly into strings using the ${} syntax. This is often cleaner than concatenating strings manually.

data name = "Alice"
data age = 25

# String interpolation
out("User: ${name}, Age: ${age}")

Characters

A Char represents a single character. Unlike strings, characters are enclosed in single quotes '.

data letter = 'A'
data symbol = '$'

Numbers

Numbers handle arithmetic operations. Whether you are working with whole numbers or decimals, the Number type covers it.

data x = 10
data y = 5.5
data result = x + y

out(result) # Output: 15.5

Lists (Arrays)

Ry supports lists, which are ordered collections of values. You can create a list by enclosing comma-separated values in square brackets [].

data numbers = [1, 2, 3, 5, 8]
data mixed = ["apple", 100, true]

# Access elements by index (starting from 0)
out(numbers[0]) # Output: 1

# You can also modify elements
mixed[1] = 200
out(mixed[1]) # Output: 200

Maps (Dictionaries)

Maps allow you to store data in key-value pairs. You can create a map using curly braces {}.

data user = {
    "name": "Alice",
    "role": "Admin"
}

out(user["name"]) # Output: Alice

user["score"] = 100

For more complex logic, learn how to manipulate these values in the Operators section.