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JoeStrout
JoeStrout

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Announcing MiniScript 2.0

Today we celebrate the official release of version 2.0 of the MiniScript programming language!

Download MiniScript 2 here!

This is a complete rewrite, from the ground up, focused primarily on performance. The results do not disappoint: MiniScript 2 clocks in at 45X - 50X faster on some benchmarks, with an average of 10X - 15X faster across the board.

It also brings some cool language improvements, including:

  • Better error handling
  • Frozen lists and maps
  • Computed lists
  • Mark-and-sweep garbage collection, even in C++

Today's release includes a new & improved command-line build for Linux, Windows, Mac, and any .NET platform. This can be used interactively, with a powerful REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) that lets you reference earlier inputs and outputs; or it can be used to create scripts and programs to run from the command line. Those can include sophisticated terminal control, enabling interactive text user interfaces like this:

Animated GIF of examples/tetris.ms

That's one of the examples included with the download; another one is a modern port of the classic "Super Star Trek" game:

Screen shot of examples/superstartrek.ms

But MiniScript 2 is not just for fun and games! The command-line environment includes full support for manipulating files and data, both text-based and binary; executing shell commands; reading the shell arguments; parsing JSON data; and more. Automate your workflows with a clean, modern scripting language that is a joy to read and write.

MiniScript 2.0 is the cornerstone of the 2026 MiniScript Road Map, and I'm delighted to say that it is shipping right on schedule. Meanwhile, we've made great progress in parallel on both raylib-miniscript and Mini Micro 2... so download MS2 now, and then stay tuned for more exciting news in the coming weeks!

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