Use the Basic Language Pack

This chapter uses the language support included with Odra, completes one local syntax and language-service workflow, and shows how the same commands apply to every maintained programming language.

Before You Begin

If you enter this chapter directly, first complete Prepare the User Guide Exercises. Then complete Use Language Services and Diagnostics. Use a trusted disposable Project under ~/odra-guide/work/projects/. Local syntax does not require Project trust, but external language servers do.

The basic pack recognizes Jan, Odin, Racket, Go, Rust, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS without personal configuration. Install only the external server needed for the language you choose. This walkthrough uses Go and gopls:

go install golang.org/x/tools/gopls@v0.23.0
command -v gopls
gopls version

Create the Exercise Project

mkdir -p ~/odra-guide/work/projects/basic-language-pack
cd ~/odra-guide/work/projects/basic-language-pack
go mod init example.com/basic-language-pack
printf 'package main\n\nimport "fmt"\n\nfunc main() { fmt.Println("Odra") }\n' > main.go

Open the directory with Open Dir, promote it to a Project, grant trust to that exact root, and open main.go.

Confirm Recognition and Local Syntax

The .go suffix selects the go language from org.odra.go. Keywords, strings, functions, and punctuation should receive distinct syntax roles as soon as the file opens; this does not wait for gopls.

Run M-x describe-language-support. Confirm the language, Factory bundle, go.syntax provider, gopls service, and the root containing go.mod.

Complete a Language Workflow

Change the function body to:

func main() {
    fmt.Prin
    _ = missingName
}

Then perform these actions:

• Place point after fmt.Prin, press C-M-i, and accept a Print completion.
• Run M-x language-show-hover over fmt.
• Run M-x language-go-to-definition on a local declaration and return with the normal location-history command.
• Run M-x list-language-diagnostics and inspect the undefined identifier.
• Remove the invalid line and run M-x language-format-buffer.
• Save the file and confirm that the buffer remains valid Go source.

Direct editing also exposes common language actions under C-c C-l. Modal Normal state uses g d, g r, K, and the g l prefix. These bindings invoke the same semantic commands; the interaction profile does not change provider behavior.

Observe Service-Independent Editing

Exit Odra and start it from an environment where gopls is not on PATH. Open the same file. Recognition, local syntax, movement, selection, editing, save, and undo remain available. Service-backed commands report the missing executable instead of disabling the document.

Restore the normal environment. Restart Odra, or run M-x restart-language-service after inspecting a failed session. No personal language definition is required.

Verify the Result

You have completed the chapter when a Factory language is recognized, local syntax works before the server starts, completion and diagnostics work with an available server, navigation and formatting use semantic commands, and the document remains editable when the server is absent.

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