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REPL

ptool repl starts an interactive Lua session with the standard ptool API already loaded.

Start the REPL​

ptool repl

When the REPL starts, ptool shows a banner and waits for Lua input.

What it provides​

  • The global ptool table and the shorter alias p.
  • The same bundled helpers you can use from ptool run <file>.
  • Interactive evaluation of Lua expressions and statements.
  • Readline-style editing, including arrow-key cursor movement and in-session history navigation.

Basic usage​

Enter an expression to evaluate it immediately:

1 + 2

The REPL prints returned values using the same inspector used elsewhere in ptool.

You can also call ptool APIs directly:

p.str.trim("  hello  ")

Multi-line input​

If the current input is incomplete, the prompt changes from >>> to ... . This lets you continue entering a block such as a function or control flow statement:

for i = 1, 3 do
  print(i)
end

Once the input is complete, ptool evaluates the whole chunk.

Keyboard behavior​

  • Up and Down browse commands entered earlier in the same REPL session.
  • Left and Right move the cursor within the current input line.
  • Ctrl-C clears the current input. If you are in the middle of a multi-line chunk, it discards the buffered chunk and returns to the primary prompt.
  • Ctrl-D exits the REPL.

Notes​

  • ptool repl requires an interactive TTY.
  • REPL history currently lives only for the current session and is not written to a history file.