# Luau + Roblox

> From first script to shipped game

Read the levels in order. Every page has samples to run, exercises with solutions, and links to the official docs.

## Table of Contents

### Start

- [How to use this course](/how-to-use-this-course.md): How to read the course in order, what each level covers, and the conventions every sample follows.

### Level 0 : Getting started

- [Introduction](/getting-started/introduction.md): What programming is, how code runs, how to read errors, and how to break problems into steps.
- [Studio and Environment](/getting-started/studio-and-environment.md): Tour Roblox Studio, the client-server model, and the tools you will use, without setup yet.
- [Your First Script](/getting-started/first-script.md): Print your first lines, run a script in Studio, read output, and fix your first errors.

### Level 1 : Programming fundamentals

- [Variables and Values](/programming-fundamentals/variables-and-values.md): Store values in variables, name them well, and trace what each line does.
- [Operators and Logic](/programming-fundamentals/operators-and-logic.md): Arithmetic, comparisons, boolean logic, and truthiness rules that surprise beginners.
- [Conditionals and Loops](/programming-fundamentals/conditionals-and-loops.md): Branch with if, repeat with while and for, and keep every loop safe.
- [Functions and Scope](/programming-fundamentals/functions-and-scope.md): Define and call functions, pass arguments, return values, and master scope.
- [Tables, Part 1](/programming-fundamentals/tables-part-1.md): Arrays, dictionaries, nesting, iteration, and mutation in the table you will use everywhere.
- [Strings, Numbers, and Nil](/programming-fundamentals/strings-numbers-nil.md): Text, numbers, and nil, plus equality and conversion pitfalls to avoid.
- [Debugging Basics](/programming-fundamentals/debugging-basics.md): Read diagnostics, trace with print, isolate bugs, and decode common error messages.

### Level 2 : Core Luau

- [Syntax and Control Flow](/luau-basics/syntax-and-control-flow.md): Statements versus expressions, if-expressions, closures, and recursion in idiomatic Luau.
- [Tables in Depth](/luau-basics/tables-in-depth.md): References versus copies, cloning, freezing, and the full table library without mutation hazards.
- [Strings and Libraries](/luau-basics/strings-and-libraries.md): Interpolation, patterns, and the string and math libraries for everyday text and numbers.
- [Advanced Functions](/luau-basics/functions-advanced.md): Closures with state, callbacks, variadics, multiple returns, and pcall basics.
- [Modules and Require](/luau-basics/modules-and-require.md): Split code into modules, share them with require, and avoid circular dependency traps.
- [Metatables and OOP](/luau-basics/metatables-and-oop.md): Customize tables with metamethods, build class-like objects, and prefer composition.
- [Errors and Defensive Code](/luau-basics/errors-and-defensive-code.md): Raise and catch errors cleanly, validate input, and write readable contracts.

### Level 3 : Roblox fundamentals

- [DataModel and Instances](/roblox-fundamentals/datamodel-and-instances.md): Navigate the DataModel tree, use properties and events, and manage object lifecycles.
- [Scripts and Execution](/roblox-fundamentals/scripts-and-execution.md): Script, LocalScript, ModuleScript, and RunContext rules for where each one runs.
- [Services and Events](/roblox-fundamentals/services-and-events.md): Reach Engine services with GetService and react to the world with events.
- [Task and Async](/roblox-fundamentals/task-and-async.md): Schedule work with the task library, yield safely, and avoid race conditions.
- [Players and Characters](/roblox-fundamentals/players-and-characters.md): Handle joining players, characters, respawn, and display-only leaderstats.
- [Remotes and Networking](/roblox-fundamentals/remotes-and-networking.md): Send events and requests across the client-server boundary without common mistakes.
- [Server Authority](/roblox-fundamentals/server-authority.md): Trust nothing from clients. Validate every input in layers, server-side.
- [UI and Input](/roblox-fundamentals/ui-and-input.md): Build client UI with ScreenGuis, scale-and-offset layout, buttons, and one input action that works on keyboard, touch, and gamepad.

### Level 4 : Intermediate engineering

- [Patterns and Boundaries](/intermediate/patterns-and-boundaries.md): One-job modules, service and controller shapes, and rules for dependency direction.
- [State and Data](/intermediate/state-and-data.md): Model data, respect serialization limits, persist with DataStores, and validate input shapes.
- [Async and Concurrency](/intermediate/async-and-concurrency.md): Spawn versus defer, timeouts, rate limiting, cleanup, and race-condition fixes.
- [Rojo Project Structure](/intermediate/rojo-project-structure.md): Filesystem-first workflow, project files, realms, and the core Rojo commands.

### Level 5 : Strict typing

- [Annotations and Inference](/strict-typing/annotations-and-inference.md): Label types where it pays, let inference do the rest, and shape tables precisely.
- [Modes](/strict-typing/modes.md): Strict, nonstrict, and nocheck compared, plus when each mode genuinely fits.
- [Narrowing and Guards](/strict-typing/narrowing-and-guards.md): Prove unknown values safe with guards, optionals, and exhaustive unions.
- [Casts and Assertions](/strict-typing/casts-and-assertions.md): Convert between related types safely, and remodel instead of sprinkling any.
- [Generics](/strict-typing/generics.md): Write functions and aliases that stay precisely typed for every caller.
- [Subtyping and Compatibility](/strict-typing/subtyping-and-compatibility.md): Structural typing, sealed tables, width subtyping, and compatibility rules.
- [Type Packs and Variadics](/strict-typing/type-packs-and-variadics.md): Type variable arguments, multiple returns, and forwarding wrappers end to end.
- [Solver and Migration](/strict-typing/solver-and-migration.md): How the solver generations differ and how to migrate files gradually.
- [Diagnosing Errors](/strict-typing/diagnosing-errors.md): Read expected-versus-got errors and fix the nine most common type failures.

### Level 6 : Advanced production

- [Architecture](/advanced/architecture.md): Services, controllers, shared modules, and data ownership with dependency direction that holds.
- [Packages](/advanced/packages.md): Prefer maintained packages over hand-rolls, evaluate them, and respect realm rules.
- [Security and Production](/advanced/security-and-production.md): Layered validation, exploit case studies with fixes, failure handling, and debugging live games.
- [Performance](/advanced/performance.md): Measure first, fix algorithmic costs and allocations, and know when not to optimize.

### Level 7 : Language evolution

- [Implemented RFCs](/rfcs/implemented.md): How to read RFC status, what is implemented, and what is still unavailable.
- [Syntax RFCs](/rfcs/syntax.md): The story behind interpolation, compound assignment, if-expressions, iteration, and const.
- [Generics and Packs RFCs](/rfcs/generics-and-packs.md): Named arguments, typed variadics, pack aliases, defaults, and explicit instantiation explained.
- [Type System RFCs](/rfcs/type-system-rfcs.md): Sealed tables, never and unknown, casts, and attributes with edge cases.
- [Type Functions RFCs](/rfcs/type-functions.md): Type-level Luau, indexed access helpers, and metatable modeling for library authors.
- [Stdlib and Config RFCs](/rfcs/stdlib-and-config.md): New math, vector, and buffer functions plus requires, config files, and error suppression.

### Tooling

- [Testing](/tooling/testing.md): Design testable code and verify it with framework-free assert harnesses.
- [Debugging Workflows](/tooling/debugging-workflows.md): Trace output, bisect failures, reproduce in Play, and read stack traces.
- [Format Lint and Version Control](/tooling/format-lint-version-control.md): Format with StyLua, lint with Selene, and version Rojo projects with git.
- [Shipping Checklist](/tooling/shipping-checklist.md): Ship a Roblox experience: test-place discipline, API access rules, pre-publish checks, budget smoke tests, and post-publish monitoring.

### Level 8 : Integration projects

- [Utility Library Project](/projects/utility-library.md): Build and test a typed shared library with results, retries, and rate limiting.
- [Coin Pickup Mechanic](/projects/gameplay-mechanic.md): Ship a server-authoritative coin pickup that resists teleport and spam exploits.
- [Jump Pad System](/projects/service-controller-system.md): Wire a jump-pad feature across service, controller, and shared config cleanly.
- [Validated Shop Protocol](/projects/client-server-protocol.md): Design a validated shop protocol with idempotency and server reconciliation.
- [Player Data System](/projects/data-system.md): Persist per-player data with caching, autosave, and versioned shapes.
- [Capstone Briefs](/projects/capstones.md): Three independent design briefs with acceptance criteria to prove your skills.

### Reference

- [Glossary](/glossary.md): Definitions for every technical term used across the Luau course, each linked to its teaching page.
- [References](/references.md): Where to verify every claim in the course, grouped by job, from Engine reference to tooling docs.