Home > Article > Backend Development > Introducing Duwa a Chichewa Programming Language
Duwa ? is my labor of love—a simple esoteric language (esolang) that blends traditional language with modern programming. As a native Chichewa speaker and a programmer, I wanted to create something unique that bridges the gap between my linguistic heritage and the tech world. Duwa uses Chichewa, a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, as its core, making it a one-of-a-kind tool for both learning and cultural preservation.
Creating Duwa has been driven by several key goals:
Duwa is a reflection of my passion for both programming and my native language, and I hope it serves as a welcoming platform for others in the Chichewa-speaking community.
If you'd like to try out Duwa yourself, here's how to get started:
./duwa -f path/to/your/program.duwa
Let me show you some of the basics of Duwa.
ndondomeko pano() { lemba("Moni Dziko"); } pano();
In this example:
Duwa supports a variety of variable types:
// Numbers nambala yoyamba = 1; nambala yachiwiri = 2; nambala yomaliza = yoyamba + yachiwiri; // Strings mawu dzina = "Maliko"; // Maps mgwirizano munthu = { "dzina": "Soma", "zaka": 3 } // Other types like boolean are not strongly typed
I chose to use ngati for if statements and kapena for else, making the logic flow more naturally in Chichewa:
// If statement ngati(yoyamba > yachiwiri) { // panga zinthu (do something) } // If-else statement ngati(yoyamba > yachiwiri) { // panga zinthu } kapena { // panga zinthu }
Duwa also supports both while and for loops:
// While loop pamene(yoyamba > 2) { // panga zinthu yoyamba++ } // For loop za(nambala x = 0; x > 5; x++) { // panga zinthu }
To give you a taste of what Duwa can do, here’s a simple linear search algorithm.
Create a new file called Kufufuza.duwa in your favorite editor
ndondomeko kufufuza(arr, x) { za(nambala i = 0; i < arr.length(); i++) { ngati (arr[i] == x) { bweza i; } } bweza -1; } ndondomeko doLinearSearch() { nambala[] arr = [2, 3, 4, 10, 40]; nambala x = 10; nambala result = kufufuza(arr, x); ngati (result == -1) { lembanzr("Linear Search: Element is not present in array"); } kapena { lembanzr("Linear Search: Element at index " + result); } } doLinearSearch();
Run the program by running
duwa -f Kufufuza.duwa
You will get the index of 10 printed out on your console
This example gives a glimpse of how Duwa handles algorithms while staying true to the Chichewa language.
Duwa is still a work in progress, and there are some words and constructs that haven't been fully translated into Chichewa yet. I'm actively working on these translations, and I plan to have everything ready by the time Duwa reaches version 1.0.
Even in its current state, Duwa is fully functional, and I'm excited to see how it grows as I continue to refine it. I’d love to hear your feedback as you experiment with it!
Bonus: I created a simple vscode extension for adding support for Duwa to vscode, for now, you will only get syntax highlighting but working on adding more features. Search for Duwa Language in the vscode extension tab, or download here
Looking ahead, I have some ambitious plans for Duwa:
Duwa is built entirely from scratch in Golang, leveraging its strengths to create a fast, efficient, and reliable programming environment. This has been a challenging but rewarding journey, and I’m excited to see where it leads.
Whether you're a Chichewa speaker curious about coding or a programming enthusiast looking for something different, I hope Duwa inspires you as much as it has inspired me. This journey is just beginning, and I’m thrilled to share it with you. By making Chichewa a part of the coding world, Duwa opens up new possibilities for education, cultural preservation, and creative expression.
Check out the original post
Check out the github.
Check out the docs (Still a work inprogress)
The above is the detailed content of Introducing Duwa a Chichewa Programming Language. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!