Table Literals

Like in Lua, tables are delimited in curly braces.

MoonScript:

some_values = { 1, 2, 3, 4 }

Lua:

local some_values = {
  1,
  2,
  3,
  4
}

Unlike Lua, assigning a value to a key in a table is done with : (instead of =).

MoonScript:

some_values = {
  name: "Bill",
  age: 200,
  ["favorite food"]: "rice"
}

Lua:

local some_values = {
  name = "Bill",
  age = 200,
  ["favorite food"] = "rice"
}

The curly braces can be left off if a single table of key value pairs is being assigned.

MoonScript:

profile =
  height: "4 feet",
  shoe_size: 13,
  favorite_foods: {"ice cream", "donuts"}

Lua:

local profile = {
  height = "4 feet",
  shoe_size = 13,
  favorite_foods = {
    "ice cream",
    "donuts"
  }
}

Newlines can be used to delimit values instead of a comma (or both):

MoonScript:

values = {
  1,2,3,4
  5,6,7,8
  name: "superman"
  occupation: "crime fighting"
}

Lua:

local values = {
  1,
  2,
  3,
  4,
  5,
  6,
  7,
  8,
  name = "superman",
  occupation = "crime fighting"
}

When creating a single line table literal, the curly braces can also be left off:

MoonScript:

my_function dance: "Tango", partner: "none"

y = type: "dog", legs: 4, tails: 1

Lua:

my_function({
  dance = "Tango",
  partner = "none"
})
local y = {
  type = "dog",
  legs = 4,
  tails = 1
}

The keys of a table literal can be language keywords without being escaped:

MoonScript:

tbl = {
  do: "something"
  end: "hunger"
}

Lua:

local tbl = {
  ["do"] = "something",
  ["end"] = "hunger"
}

If you are constructing a table out of variables and wish the keys to be the same as the variable names, then the : prefix operator can be used:

MoonScript:

hair = "golden"
height = 200
person = { :hair, :height, shoe_size: 40 }

print_table :hair, :height

Lua:

local hair = "golden"
local height = 200
local person = {
  hair = hair,
  height = height,
  shoe_size = 40
}
print_table({
  hair = hair,
  height = height
})

If you want the key of a field in the table to to be result of an expression, then you can wrap it in [ ], just like in Lua. You can also use a string literal directly as a key, leaving out the square brackets. This is useful if your key has any special characters.

MoonScript:

t = {
  [1 + 2]: "hello"
  "hello world": true
}

Lua:

local t = {
  [1 + 2] = "hello",
  ["hello world"] = true
}