Language overview

Jazz programs are expressions built from immutable values. Static types rule out invalid combinations before evaluation, while inference keeps most local types implicit. A program's final expression supplies its result.

Functions are values and support partial application. Algebraic data types model alternatives explicitly; patterns select and decompose those alternatives. Conditionals, cases, and blocks are expressions, so every branch that can produce a result must agree on its type.

Names are resolved lexically and declaration order matters. Modules add named boundaries around declarations and dependencies. Capability constraints let polymorphic code require operations such as equality or ordering without choosing one concrete type in advance.

Jazz currently evaluates programs with an interpreter. Native code generation is planned, but does not change the language model described here.

Continue with source and blocks, or use the expression grammar when you need exact notation.