wasp/README.md

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<p align=center> A programming language that understands what a web app is. </p>
<br>

[![Join the community on Spectrum](https://withspectrum.github.io/badge/badge.svg)](https://spectrum.chat/wasp)

<br>

- **Project page**: [https://wasp-lang.dev]
- **Demo**: [https://wasp-lang.dev/#demo]

Wasp (**W**eb **A**pplication **Sp**ecification Language) is an extensible [DSL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain-specific_language) (domain-specific language) for building modern web apps with less code.

Concepts such as *app*, *page*, *user*, *login*, *frontend*, *production*, etc. are baked into the language, bringing a new level of expressiveness and allowing you to get more work done with fewer lines of code.

```js
// todoApp.wasp:

app TodoApp {
  title: "ToDo app",
  favicon: "./todo-logo.png"
}

entity Task {
  description :: string,
  isDone :: boolean
}

entity-list<Task> TaskList {
  editable: true
}

page Main {
  route: "/",
  content: {=jsx
    <h1>Todos</h1>
    <TaskList/>
  jsx=},
  style: "./main.css"
}

...
```

Source files (`.wasp`, `.js(x)`, `.css`, ...) are compiled (transpiled) by `waspc` (Wasp compiler) into the web technology stack of your choice (e.g. React + Redux + ExpressJS + ...).

:arrow_forward: Check out [TodoApp example](examples/todoApp) for complete code example. :arrow_backward:

Why is Wasp awesome:
- **Quick start**: Due to its expressiveness, you can create and deploy a production-ready web app from scratch with very few lines of concise, consistent, declarative code.
- **Flexible**: When you need more control than Wasp offers, you can write code in existing technologies such as js/html/css/... and combine it with Wasp code!
- **No lock-in**: If Wasp becomes too limiting for you, simply eject and continue with the generated source code (in web tech stack of your choice) that follows industry best-practices, as if it was handwritten by a senior engineer.

For more of general information about Wasp, check:
- **The main webpage**: [https://wasp-lang.dev].
- [**Blog**](https://blog.wasp-lang.dev/): [Why are we building Wasp?](https://blog.wasp-lang.dev/posts/2019-09-01-hello-wasp.html)

# Get started

You can't try out Wasp yet because we are still doing closed development, check [Project status](#project-status) for more info.

In the meantine, if you are interested/excited about Wasp, **support us by giving us a star :star: and/or [subscribe](https://wasp-lang.dev#signup) to our email list :mailbox:**! Check [Contributing](#contributing) for more information.


# This repository

This is the main repo of the Wasp universe, containing core code (not yet at the moment, but `waspc` (Wasp compiler) code is coming soon) and the supporting materials.


# Documentation

While we do plan to publish detailed documentation, we don't have anything worth publishing yet due to how fast everything is changing in this early stage of Wasp development.

In the meantime, the best way to learn more is by taking a look at our [TodoApp example](examples/todoApp).


# Project status

We are still early and are doing closed development iterations with our early adopters.

Specifically, we are developing `waspc` (Wasp compiler) and also designing language as we go.

Currently, `waspc` is in a state where the main parts are there (code analysis and generation) and we are successfully generating code as can be seen at [TodoApp example](examples/todoApp).

The language itself supports a narrow set of features for now, not enough for serious web app development, but we believe it is a good basis to build upon.  
The next step is to expand the language (and compiler) so it can serve the role of a powerful code generator - it will still not have enough features to keep you from ejecting for a very long time, but it will be enough to give you a quick start.  
Finally, as it grows further, it should allow the development of web apps of increasing complexity without the need to eject!

While the idea is to support multiple web tech stacks in the future, right now we are focusing on the specific stack: React + Redux, NodeJS + ExpressJS, Mongo. We might yet change that as time goes, taking trends into account, but for now, this is serving us well for the purpose of developing compiler and language.

Besides continuing with development we are now also intensely focusing on gathering feedback. This will both help us in figuring out how to build Wasp in the best way and in finding sponsors/funding. Check out [Contributing](#contributing) for more information!

# Contributing

Since we are still doing closed development of the very first version of the compiler (`waspc`) and language (check [Project status](#project-status) for more info), you can't contribute to the code directly via this repository at the moment.

However, even more than help with development, at this early stage **we need your support and feedback**!
Your support tells us that what we are doing makes sense, motivates us to continue, and is also essential for finding potential sponsors/funding.
You can help us greatly by:
 - :star: **Starring this repository**.
 - :mailbox: Staying updated by **subscribing to our email list** at [wasp-lang.dev](https://wasp-lang.dev#signup).
 - :speech_balloon: **Providing feedback and ideas**: [![Join the community on Spectrum](https://withspectrum.github.io/badge/badge.svg)](https://spectrum.chat/wasp).
   Also let us know if you would like to be more closely involved, as we are looking for developers to participate with us in designing/testing the closed version of Wasp before we open it.

# FAQ

Check out https://wasp-lang.dev/#faq.


# Other

Wasp ASCII art used in the title is from https://www.asciiart.eu/animals/insects/bees, author: Stef00.