Setting up your Editor

Remembering all the built in ao functions and utilites can sometimes be hard. To enhance your developer experience, it is recommended to install the Lua Language Server extension into your favorite text editor and add the ao addon. It supports all built in aos modules and globals.

VS Code

Install the sumneko.lua extension:

Search for "Lua" by sumneko in the extension marketplace
Download and install the extension
Open the VS Code command palette with Shift + Command + P (Mac) / Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) and run the following command:

> Lua: Open Addon Manager

In the Addon Manager, search for "ao", it should be the first result. Click "Enable" and enjoy autcomplete!

Other editors

Verify that your editor supports the language server protocol
Install Lua Language Server by following the instructions at luals.github.io
Install the "ao" addon to the language server

A Ping-Pong Server

Creating a Pingpong Process in aos

Understanding the Inbox

In aos, processes are executed in response to messages via handlers. Unhandled messages are routed to the process's Inbox.