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Introduction to KelpyShark

A friendly overview of what KelpyShark is and why you might want to use it.

What is KelpyShark?

KelpyShark is a modern, dynamically-typed programming language designed to be simple to learn, pleasant to write, and powerful enough for real projects. It has a clean Python-inspired syntax, first-class functions, object-oriented features, a built-in standard library, and an integrated package manager.

KelpyShark programs can be interpreted directly, or compiled to Python, JavaScript, Java, or C# — letting you use KelpyShark as a cross-platform scripting and prototyping language.

What can KelpyShark do?

  • Automate repetitive tasks and write scripts
  • Build command-line tools and utilities
  • Work with files, JSON, and HTTP APIs
  • Model real-world data with classes and objects
  • Share reusable code as packages

Why KelpyShark?

🟢 Easy to learn

The syntax is intentionally minimal. If you've never programmed before, KelpyShark is a great first language.

🔵 Batteries included

Math, string manipulation, file I/O, HTTP requests, and JSON parsing are all built in — no setup required.

A taste of KelpyShark

Here's a short program that shows off a few features of the language:

 example.ks
# A simple KelpyShark program

def greet(name) {
    print("Hello, {$name}! Welcome to KelpyShark.")
}

class Animal {
    def new(name, sound) {
        self.name = name
        self.sound = sound
    }

    def speak() {
        print("{$self.name} says {$self.sound}!")
    }
}

greet("World")

let dog = new Animal("Rex", "woof")
dog.speak()

for i in range(1, 4) {
    print("Count: {$i}")
}
Output
Hello, World! Welcome to KelpyShark.
Rex says woof!
Count: 1
Count: 2
Count: 3

Don't worry if you don't understand all of it yet — this tutorial will explain every part step by step.

How to use this tutorial

The tutorial is ordered from the simplest concepts to the more advanced ones. Work through the pages in order if you're new, or jump to a specific topic using the sidebar on the left.

💡 Tip

You can use the arrow keys (← →) to navigate between pages once you've started the tutorial.

In this tutorial you will learn

  • Variables, data types, and operators
  • Strings and string methods
  • Control flow: if/else, while, for
  • Functions and return values
  • Lists and dictionaries
  • Classes and object-oriented programming
  • Error handling with try/catch
  • Importing modules and using the standard library