===========
Code Editor
===========

The Code Editor is where you write the Lua scripts that power your game. It is a full-featured
code editor built on Monaco (the same editor that powers VS Code).

Features
========

- **Lua syntax highlighting** -- keywords, strings, numbers, and comments are color-coded
- **Auto-indentation** -- code is automatically indented as you type
- **Real-time collaboration** -- when working with others, you can see their cursors and edits
  in real time
- **Error reporting** -- runtime errors from your Lua code appear in the output panel below
  the game canvas

Writing your game
=================

Your Lua script should define up to three global functions that the engine calls automatically:

.. code-block:: lua

   function _init()
     -- runs once when the game starts
   end

   function _update()
     -- runs every frame: handle input, physics, logic
   end

   function _draw()
     -- runs every frame: render everything
   end

See :doc:`/game-loop` for a detailed explanation of the game lifecycle.

Tips
====

- **Start small** -- get a single sprite moving on screen before adding complexity
- **Use** ``print()`` **liberally** -- the output panel is your debugger. Print positions,
  states, and values to understand what your code is doing
- **Organize with functions** -- as your script grows, break logic into named functions
  (see :doc:`/structure`)
- **Save often** -- changes are saved automatically, but the editor also supports collaborative
  sessions where multiple people edit simultaneously