[How to Script] - Learning the basics!

[Valkyrop (JustAGuy)]

Hey everyone, hope you are having a great day. I’ve seen a couple of tutorials teaching beginners how to script , and I decided to make my own tutorial aswell. So, lets get started!

First, let’s understand the very basics - printing

Print()

Print is a very basic function, which all it does is to output provided parameters into the Output.
Examples:

print("Hello there:)") -- would print "Hello there:)"
print("hi:)") -- would print "hi:)"


print(2-5) -- would print -3
--NOTICE: 
print("2-5") --WOULD NOT print -3, but "2-5".
--reason: when you're using double " , it indicates/resembles as a string.
--Since it's a string, it won't compute the value[unlike the prior one].

print(true) -- would print true
print(game.Workspace.Baseplate.Name) -- would print "Baseplate"


a = 25

print(a-5) -- would print 20

so, now that we know what Print does, lets move onto Variables.

Variables

Variables are names[strings] that can hold a value / values. They’re mainly useful to shorten time and work efficiently and smart.
Notice that functions can be defined as variables aswell!

Types

1.nil [meaning doesn’t exist.
2.Numbers[such as 0,0.1,0.5,0.9,1,2,5,10,…].
3.Strings - words [such as “hi”, “hello” ,“world”].
4.Booleans [can be either true or false].
5.Tables [ arrays and dictionaries] - contain bunch of variables.
6.Enums.[Organized list of items, for e.g: list of Materials].

Examples

local MY_STRING = "My number is :"
local MY_NUMBER = 10
local MY_FUNCTION = function()

print(MY_STRING,MY_NUMBER) -- Would print : "My number is : 10"


local Num1,Num2,Num3 = 1,2,3

print(Num3-Num1,Num2-Num1,Num1-Num1) --Would print : 2 1 0

--Local means it's a local variable that can work under area its declared, for e.g:
--In this example,you can see 2 exact same variables 'x'. However, since they are both local,
--the one inside the function, would only work for the code wrapped in this function


local x = 5

function printNum()
	local x = 10
	print(x)
end

printNum() -- would print 10

print(x) -- would print 5



--global variables can be used anywhere, any time:


y= 5

function printNum2()
	print(y)
end

printNum2() -- would print 5

print(y) -- would print 5

Well done! You now know how to use Variables! That’s great!

Let’s move onto our next exciting part! - Functions!

Functions

Functions are values which perform a defined task and receives thread control when called.[Meaning, it outputs results accordingly to what it’s been defined to do].Examples:

local function printWords(Word) --inside, you could put `Parameters`.
	print(Word)
end

printWords("Hey there!") -- would print "Hey there!"

local function AddNumbers(num1,num2)
	local sum = num1 + num2
	print(sum)
end

print(AddNumbers(1,5)) -- would print 6[1+5]


--Returning [sending data back, in order to use it again]

local function MathOperation(x)
	print(math.sqrt(x))
	return x
end

local call = MathOperation(25) -- would print 5
print(call/5) -- would print 5

So far, doing really great! Don’t give up, we’re almost finished!

Server/Client

As you might know, every game that’s been created has 2 sides , The Server [where all the stuff get output and conducted into the game], and The Client [the player who plays the game].

In Roblox, there is a way to communicate these 2 , and that is - Remotes.
Using Remotes, will help the Client communicates the Server, and so vice versa.

Let’s say I wanted to print something [on the client], once I’ve pressed on any key on my keyboard.
So, we’d use a LocalScript for that, right?

Correct. However, doing so, will only output the result to the Client, and not to the Server.
[This is the place to explain why using Remotes is important: As you might know, exploiters are not a new trend. They have always been there. Some of them can destroy your game within minutes, or even seconds.[As long as you’re using LocalScript's to handle the main/important stuff in your game.
Using a remote, [which will do and output your stuff from the client, on the server - is safer. Doing so, would make it harder for exploiters to change scripts and cheat in your game.]

So, what would we do?
Let’s say we have this LocalScript in the client:

local UIS = game:GetService("UserInputService")
local RS = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local Remote = RS:WaitForChild("Remote")


UIS.InputBegan:Connect(function(KEY)
	if KEY.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.Delete then
		Remote:FireServer()
	end
end)

We now need to handle / hold this on the server aswell, otherwise, why have we fired it for?
Let’s have this Script on the server :

game.ReplicatedStorage.Remote.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player) --first parameter is always the place
	if Player then
		print(Player.Name.."has pressed on the 'Delete' button!")
	end
end)

As you can see, it works! Not only does it print on the client, but also on the server!

Good job ! You now know how to communicate between The Server and The Client

If statements

If statements, more known as Conditional Structures are mainly useful when you want to check for some conditions/actions and do certain actions to each of them.
Examples:

myNum = 11
if myNum  % 5 == 0 then
	print("my number can be divided by 5!")
else
	print("Yikes")
end


local myString = "world"
local keyWord = string.lower("wor")

if string.match(myString,keyWord) then
	print("found wor")
else
	print("nope")
end

--using elseif

local myKey = 25

if math.sqrt(myKey) == 5 then
	print(5)
elseif math.sqrt(myKey) > 5 then
	print("larger")
elseif math.sqrt(myKey) < 5 then
	print("smaller")
end

Woah! Do you realize how much have you learned yet?
We’re almost done ! I promise!

Loops

Loops let you execute/run/output code several times. There are some different loops to know about , on Roblox .

For Loops

--For Loop
--Lets you run a code for how many times you've set it.
--format : for number = x,y,z do (StartValue,EndValue,Increment)

--INCREMENT
for k = 0,10,0.5 do
	print(k)
	task.wait(.1)
end

for i = 1,10 do
	print(i)
	task.wait(.2)
end

--DECREMENT

for t = 10,0,-1 do
	print(t)
	task.wait(.3)
end

While Loops

--While Loops
--runs forever,when something is true or false.
--MUST have a delay.

local time = 10

while time  > 0 do
	print(time)
	
	task.wait()
	time -= 1
end


local myVar = true

while myVar do
	print("running")
	task.wait(1)
end

Repeat

Will run/repeat itself, until a certain condition has occurred.

--repeat

local myNum = 10

repeat 
	print(myNum)
	myNum -= 1
	task.wait(1)
	
until myNum == 0

print("Finished!")

Woah! That’s insane! Last thing and we’re done - I PROMISE!

Tables

Can store/contain multiple variables at once, presented as {}

Arrays

A list, contains ordered values, for e.g: Players’ ID’s.

local ARRAY = {1,2,"STRING",Color3.fromRGB(85, 170, 127)}

print(ARRAY[3]) --> "STRING"
print(ARRAY["STRING"]) --> nil 

Dictionaries

Extentions of Arrays. Unlike arrays, a dictionary stores sets values formatted in this way ‘key-value’, for e.g : Item Name = "Sword.

--table

local dictionary = {Item1 = "Sword",Item2 = "Basketball"}

print(dictionary[1]) --> nil
print(dictionary["Item1"]) --> "Sword"

in pairs and ipairs - loops

Both are functions that are based on for loop, and are used when using an array or a dictionary. They help us go through each of the parts in our table.[pairs useful when working with dictionaries, while ipairs useful when working with arrays.]

In Pairs

local dictionary = {
	["Spongbob"] = "Yellow";
	["Patrick"] = "Pink";
}

for index,value in pairs(dictionary) do
	print(index,value)
	--patrick pink
	--spongbob yellow
end

Ipairs

local Players = {"Player1","Player2","Player3"}


for _,Player in ipairs(Players) do
	print(Player)
	--Player1
	--Player2
	--Player3
end

Woah! You’ve finished all this? You’re a legend! Good job!

String functions

In luau, there are several useful functions when we use/combine or work with strings, some of them are very useful. Let’s understand some of them:

string.len()

Simply returns the length of our string. Example:

local Word = "Hello"
print(Word:len()) -- same as print(string.len(Word)), both will give 5

string.rep()

Simply will repeat getting the provided string, for n times [ n needs to be a provided number].
Example:

local Word = "Hello"
print(Word:rep(4)) -- same as print(string.rep(Word,4))-- both will print HelloHelloHelloHello  

string.gsub()

Simply replaces a value by a given value. Example:

local Word = "Hello Guys!"
local replace = Word:gsub("Hello","Sup")

print(replace) -- Sup Guys!

string.sub()

Returns the value, but starting at a and ends at b. a's ‘index’ is 1. Example:

local Word = "Hello Guys!"

print(Word:sub(5)) -- o Guys!  
print(Word:sub(-5)) -- Guys!
print(Word:sub(-2)) -- s!

Here is what happens when providing negative number in sub,
We can see our last character in the string is !, thus - when we use negative, what it does is a ‘reverse’ process. Meaning, it’ll start from the last character backwards.

TweenService

What is Tween?
A method/way to interpolate properties of instances. Including animating and adding some cool effects, there are some important points to notice:

TweenService

Can it be inserted through `instance.new()` ?

No.

Can tween same properties at once?

No. You’ll need to make a new tween for each of them.[Otherwise, only the last one would be implemented].

Does it work with strings?

No, it works only with the following types:
(number,bool,CFrame,Rect,Color3,Vector2,Vector3,Udim,Udim2,Vector2int16,EnumItem]

Unique Functions

Create()

TweenService:Create() is the function to create tweens, example:

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Part = game.Workspace.Cube

local TweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(
	2,--[Time]
	Enum.EasingStyle.Linear,--[EasingStyle]
	Enum.EasingDirection.Out,--[EasingDirection]
	-1,--[repeats,when its less than 0, it'll repeat indefinitely]
	true,--[reverse]
	0 --[delay]
)

--In this case, it'd increase its size until it reaches the provided size, and change its color until it reaches the provided color3.
local Tween = TweenService:Create(Part,TweenInfo,{Size = Vector3.new(50,50,50),Color = Color3.fromRGB(0, 0, 0)})


task.wait(3)

Tween:Play()

Play()

Using this function, will begin the tweening.[ works as long as there’s no other tween occurring at the moment].

Pause()

It’d stop the tweening, and if we use Play() to resume, it’d play it from the point is paused.

Cancel()

Pauses/Stops the tween, resets the provided variables[ if resumed, the properites would still interpolate towards their goal].

Events

Completed

Fires when the Tweening has been completed.

Example:

local TS = game:GetService("TweenService")

local display = script.Parent
local open = display.Parent.Open
local close = display.Parent.Close
local isOpen = false



script.Parent.ClickDetector.MouseClick:Connect(function()
	if isOpen == false then
		local t = TS:Create(display, TweenInfo.new(1), {CFrame = open.CFrame})
		t:Play()
		t.Completed:Wait(2)
		print("OPENED!")
		isOpen = true
		
	else
		local t = TS:Create(display, TweenInfo.new(1), {CFrame = close.CFrame})
		t:Play()
		t.Completed:Wait(2)
		print("CLOSED!")
		isOpen = false
	end
end)

Examples

BigHead Command

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local TweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(
	1.5,--[Time]
	Enum.EasingStyle.Elastic,--[EasingStyle]
	Enum.EasingDirection.InOut,--[EasingDirection]
	0,--[repeats,when its 0, it'll repeat indefinitely]
	true,--[reverse]
	0 --[delay]
)



Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(Player)
		Player.Chatted:Connect(function(Msg)
			if Msg:lower() == "!bighead" then
				local Tween = TweenService:Create(object.Character.Head,TweenInfo,{Size = Vector3.new(5,5,5)})
				task.wait(1)
				Tween:Play()
			end
		end)
end)

Combining `Touched` event

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Part = game.Workspace.Cube
local TweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(
	1,--[Time]
	Enum.EasingStyle.Quad,--[EasingStyle]
	Enum.EasingDirection.InOut,--[EasingDirection]
	1,--[repeats,when its 0, it'll repeat indefinitely]
	false,--[reverse]
	0 --[delay]
)

Part.Touched:Connect(function(obj)
	if obj.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid") then
		local Tween = TweenService:Create(Part,TweenInfo,{Size = Vector3.new(15,50,15),Color = Color3.fromRGB(0, 0, 0)})
		task.wait(1.1)
		Tween:Play()
	end
end)

CFrame - A Pushing Door

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Part = game.Workspace.Cube
local TweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(
	0.2,--[Time]
	Enum.EasingStyle.Quad,--[EasingStyle]
	Enum.EasingDirection.InOut,--[EasingDirection]
	0,--[repeats,when its 0, it'll repeat indefinitely]
	false,--[reverse]
	0 --[delay]
)

Part.Touched:Connect(function(obj)
	if obj.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid") then
		local Tween = TweenService:Create(Part,TweenInfo,{CFrame = Part.CFrame * CFrame.Angles(math.rad(45),0,0)})
		task.wait(1.1)
		Tween:Play()
	end
end)

Udim2

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local POS = UDim2.new(0.5, 0,0.5, 0)


script.Parent.TextButton.MouseButton1Click:Connect(function()
	script.Parent.Frame:TweenPosition(POS,Enum.EasingDirection.In,Enum.EasingStyle.Linear,0.5)
end)

Increasing WalkSpeed

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Part = game.Workspace.Cube
local TweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(
	1.5--[Time]
)

Part.Touched:Connect(function(obj)
	if obj.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid") then
		local Tween = TweenService:Create(obj.Parent.Humanoid,TweenInfo,{WalkSpeed = 150})
		
		Tween:Play()
	end
end)

Tweening Door

Debounces

Debounces
We’ll cover up 2 things within this topic:
1- Do we actually need them? And why?
2- How to use them.

What are Debounces?
Before we answer this question, I first would like you to take a glance on this code :

--Services
local players = game:GetService("Players")



--Functions
function PRINT_TESTING(CONTEXT)
	print(CONTEXT)
end

function TUTORIAL_TESTING(Object)
	--Defining Humanoid
	local humanoid = Object.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
	--If there is a humanoid, then we can define the player
	if humanoid then
		--getting the player with the function GetPlayerFromCharacter - finding the Player whose character touched this brick
		local player = players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(Object.Parent)
		--if the player was found
		if player then
			--We're calling the PRINT function, and providing an argument [text] that will be printed
			PRINT_TESTING(player.Name.." has touched the brick!")
		end
	end
end

script.Parent.Touched:Connect(TUTORIAL_TESTING)

Seems to be working fine, right?

True! However, if we press ‘Play’ and test it, we could see in the output:

Valkyrop has touched the brick!(x33)

Why has this event occurred 33 times?
You could notice that, this code will always work as long as the object that touched the brick, is a player. Since we’re not having any condition or delay that’d slow it, it’d keep printing even if we have touched the brick already!

Solution
Here, is when Debounces are involved,
using them, will help us prevent/slow our event from occurring multiple times within a short time!
Debounces are values [could be a number, a string, a boolean] , the most common one to use is boolean. That can help us creating delays, and statements that could reduce/prevent our code from running multiple times within a short time!

So, now that we know debounces are helpful /useful to prevent/reduce events /functions from occurring multiple times within a short time.
Lets apply them on our code!

First, create a variable [ you can call it whatever you want :)] , I’ll be using BooleanValue in this code.
Place it on top , amid the Services and the Functions.

--Debounces
local Debounce = true

Now, the PRINT_TESTING function can stay as it is, we dont need to use our debounce there.

Now, inside the TUTORIAL_TESTING function, before we even define the humanoid, we’re going to make an If statement that will allow us to run a code only if that condition/statement has happend/ is happening.

Therefore, in our case, we want to check if our Debounce value is true, to compare stuff, we use ==

function TUTORIAL_TESTING(Object)
	--Using our Debounce
	if Debounce == true then

Now, we need to actually do something only if our debounce is true, so we could set it to false now [within the statement], and what’d happen is -the code after that, would run only once, because our condition is false yet.

function TUTORIAL_TESTING(Object)
	--Using our Debounce
	if Debounce == true then
		Debounce = false
		--Defining Humanoid
		local humanoid = Object.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
		--If there is a humanoid, then we can define the player
		if humanoid then
			--getting the player with the function GetPlayerFromCharacter - finding the Player whose character touched this brick
			local player = players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(Object.Parent)
			--if the player was found
			if player then
				--We're calling the PRINT function, and providing an argument [text] that will be printed
				PRINT_TESTING(player.Name.." has touched the brick!")
			end
		end

As we can tell, it still doesn’t do anything, right?
It’s because we didn’t add the actual delay and set our debounce back to true.
To do so, all we need to do is to add a task.wait() when the if humanoid statement ends

if humanoid then
			--getting the player with the function GetPlayerFromCharacter - finding the Player whose character touched this brick
			local player = players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(Object.Parent)
			--if the player was found
			if player then
				--We're calling the PRINT function, and providing an argument [text] that will be printed
				PRINT_TESTING(player.Name.." has touched the brick!")
			end
		end
		--Creating a delay
		task.wait(3) -- you could put inside, how many seconds you want the delay to be lasting for

And lastly, we want to make sure our Debounce is set up to true, so all we need to do is :

--Creating a delay
		task.wait(3) -- you could put inside, how many seconds you want the delay to be lasting for
		Debounce = true

Our final code :

--Services
local players = game:GetService("Players")

--Debounces
local Debounce = true

--Functions
function PRINT_TESTING(CONTEXT)
	print(CONTEXT)
end

function TUTORIAL_TESTING(Object)
	--Using our Debounce
	if Debounce == true then
		--Changing the value so that the code would run only once, until the next time[after the delay]
		Debounce = false
		--Defining Humanoid
		local humanoid = Object.Parent:FindFirstChild("Humanoid")
		--If there is a humanoid, then we can define the player
		if humanoid then
			--getting the player with the function GetPlayerFromCharacter - finding the Player whose character touched this brick
			local player = players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(Object.Parent)
			--if the player was found
			if player then
				--We're calling the PRINT function, and providing an argument [text] that will be printed
				PRINT_TESTING(player.Name.." has touched the brick!")
			end
		end
		--Creating a delay
		task.wait(3) -- you could put inside, how many seconds you want the delay to be lasting for
		Debounce = true
	end
end

script.Parent.Touched:Connect(TUTORIAL_TESTING)

Mouse

**NOTE: Mouse is deprecated. UserInputService & ContextActionService are better.

Hello fellow devs and builders, I decided to make a tutorial for beginners - on Mouse.
Note
I know there’s a tutorial on it on the devhub, I decided to elaborate a bit and give various examples from my prespective view.

What is A Mouse?
I believe it’s pretty obvious, Mouse is our cursor, and with it, we can do many things that we want to happen after doing something with our cursor.

Some Events

Icon

Changes the cursor’s Icon, example:

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Button1Down:Connect(function()
	Mouse.Icon = "rbxasset://SystemCursors/OpenHand"
end)

Button1Down

Fires when the left mouse is pressed, example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Button1Down:Connect(function()
	print("Left Mouse has been pressed!")
end)

Button1Up

Fires when the left mouse is released. Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Button1Up:Connect(function()
	print("Left Mouse has been released!")
end)

Button2Down

Fires when the right mouse is pressed.Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Button2Down:Connect(function()
	print("Right Mouse has been pressed!!")
end)

Button2Up

Fires when the right mouse is released. Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Button2Up:Connect(function()
	print("Right Mouse has been released!!")
end)

Idle

Fires as long as there is no another Mouse event occurring at the moment, if there is, it’ll fire slowly [heartbeats]. Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Idle:Connect(function()
	print("Idle!")
end)

Move

Fires when the cursor is moving. Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.Move:Connect(function()
	print("Moved")
end)

WheelBackward

Fires when the wheel on your mouse moves backwards . Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.WheelBackward:Connect(function()
	print("Moved backwards")
end)

WheelForward

Fires when the wheel on your mouse moves forwards. Example:

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()


Mouse.WheelForward:Connect(function()
	print("Moved forwards")
end)

Examples:

Change Colors on Touch

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()
local Replicated = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local remote = Replicated:WaitForChild("Remote")


Mouse.Button1Down:Connect(function()
	if Mouse.Target and Mouse.Target.Parent then
		remote:FireServer(Mouse.Target)
	end
end)


--Server
game.ReplicatedStorage.Remote.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player,MouseClick)
	MouseClick.BrickColor = BrickColor.new("Really blue")
end)

TP Tool

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()
local Replicated = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local remote = Replicated:WaitForChild("Remote")


Mouse.Button1Down:Connect(function()
	if Mouse.Target and Mouse.Target.Parent then
		remote:FireServer(Mouse.Hit)
	end
end)



--Server
game.ReplicatedStorage.Remote.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player,MouseClick)
	Player.Character:MoveTo(MouseClick.p)
end)

Get a Vector3

--Client

local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local Player = Players.LocalPlayer
local Mouse = Player:GetMouse()
local Replicated = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local remote = Replicated:WaitForChild("Remote")


Mouse.Button1Down:Connect(function()
	if Mouse.Target and Mouse.Target.Parent then
		remote:FireServer(Mouse.Hit)
	end
end)

--Server
game.ReplicatedStorage.Remote.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player,MouseClick)
	print(MouseClick.p)
end)

Hope I could help , Don’t forget to practice,practice and practice.
Best of luck!

[tinycells (Relentless)]

First here thanks for this tutorial, ever since I’ve gave up doing commissions for translation which I still do, I was going on and finding new skills to help myself.

[Icee444]

I really like how you incorporated a lot of what you need to know as a scripter in a very concise tutorial, including scope and remote events, which trip up a lot of new scripters. I could see new scripters using this as a reference when they want to remember how to do something. Nicely done!

[Valkyrop (JustAGuy)]

Hey there, thank you for the kind words!

[JustNylo]

Great tutorial! I would suggest it for new scripters. Ah, why didn’t this exist when I was learning how to script . Haha anyways great job!

[SummerEquinox]

Wanted to add some things to this to reverse certain things I think you may have confused & also help others learn. This is a good tutorial for beginners.

The best way to explain these things definitely depends on someone’s programming background, but I’ll add a few things from a logistical perspective.

@Valkyrop

Variables are names[strings] that can hold a value / values

This is correct; but, functions are first-class values in Lua so they can also be grouped under this section. Being a first-class value means: it is a value (has a type), can be stored in variables & data structures, they can be passed as arguments to and returned by other functions (functions that manipulate other functions are called higher-order functions), and can be called anywhere in a program. This isn’t true in most languages, and it’s a good distinction to point out. Lua functions take bits from a lot of different language and are decently unique. Functions are no different than other vanilla types (string, number, bool, nil)… which is why you can also write a function as local Name = function(). The shorthand version is just syntactic sugar in the language.

@Valkyrop

Functions are a bunch of ‘Machines’ that can receive and output lot of things

Not exactly machines. Functions are first-class values that take up memory. A more correct definition would be; a function is a value that performs a defined task and receives thread control when called, can be nested (when nested has lexical scoping), and can be anonymous. Where the goals are portability, simplicity, small size, and scripting.

@Valkyrop

Loops let you execute/run/output code several times

It’s a little more technical, but this is mostly true. Also worth mentioning working with pairs/ipairs in generic for, which will call a factory function for you, and then call the iterator function that it returns until it receives nil (this is a pretty beginner friendly concept as well and worth teaching imo).

@Valkyrop

• Arrays
• Dictionaries

This is good to understand when working with pairs/ipairs, but a misconception among Roblox scripters. There is no dictionary or array (although tables are pretty much always dictionaries in Lua, because they have key-value pairs regardless built of associative arrays) [I could have phrased this poorly]. Tables are the only data structuring method in Lua and the only container type. Tables are pretty much objects because they have identity and can have state.

[Valkyrop (JustAGuy)]

Hey:) Thank you for the informative feedback, I will edit what is needed and give credits!

About the tables,

But isnt it important to understand the difference between arrays and dictionaries?

[tinycells (Relentless)]

can you add more tutorials like this, you make better ones that roblox
https://create.roblox.com/docs/scripting/luau/index

[SummerEquinox]

@Valkyrop

But isnt it important to understand the difference between arrays and dictionaries?

Absolutely! Generally on Roblox people will refer to them as one or the other (even though it isn’t technically correct [I do this as well in other contexts]). I think it’s important to create this distinction though when attempting to explain the information.

Lua does not have arrays, although its data structuring method (tables) are rooted in associative C arrays (afaik). When you call {} - which is just a constructor expression for new tables, you are always creating a table, not an array or dictionary. They become like these other data structures when you manipulate their indices- but would never be technically classified as them.

These things can be emulated but table is the only data structure that exists in Lua. A similar concept can be seen in Python, which does not have built in support for arrays. It does have lists, which can be used to structure instead.

[Valkyrop (JustAGuy)]

Oh, I understand now. Thank’s for clarifying me this!

[SKURMIEE (MIRA)]

What about ‘string’ vs “string”? ‘string’ can be used to display rich text while “string” can display apostrophes like “It’s (insert day here) today!” and single quotes like ‘“Hi, Bob!”, I exclaimed.’ can display double quotations without becoming malformed.

[tinycells (Relentless)]

Hey @Valkyrop, I’ve gotten the hang out if by watching TheDevKing so I was able to understand print and varibles

[TrueBlueNumber2 (Islington)]

Hey!

I’m a terrible scripter but I want to learn! I’ve read a few tutorials on Lua on the DevForums, but I would like to take that extra step! How would I do that? And how could I practice more to get better at scripting.

[Valkyrop (JustAGuy)]

Updated the tutorial!
Added:
-TweenService
-Mouse
-Debounces

[Synitx (syn)]

You can also display apostrophes by using ‘test’ too.
With the help of inverted slash (backslash)
\

local thing = 'it\'s night time here.'
print(thing)

same with “test”

local thing = "I love the word \"okay\", its just really cool"
print(thing)