⚖️ TuskLang Bash Colon vs Equals Guide

"We don't bow to any king" – Choose your syntax, own your style.

TuskLang's revolutionary flexibility lets you choose between : and = for assignment. Whether you prefer traditional INI-style colons or modern equals signs, TuskLang adapts to your coding style while maintaining full functionality.

🎯 The Great Syntax Debate

TuskLang supports both assignment operators: - : - Traditional INI-style assignment - = - Modern equals assignment

Both are functionally identical, but offer different aesthetic and workflow preferences.

📝 Syntax Comparison

Colon Syntax (Traditional)

INI-style with colons
[server]
host: "localhost"
port: 8080
debug: true

Equals Syntax (Modern)

Modern equals syntax
[server]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
debug = true

Mixed Syntax (Your Choice)

Mix and match - TuskLang doesn't care
[config]
traditional: "value"
modern = "value"
mixed: "value" = "also works"

🚀 Quick Start Example

#!/bin/bash
source tusk-bash.sh
cat > syntax-comparison.tsk << 'EOF'
[traditional]
host: "localhost"
port: 8080
[modern]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
[mixed]
host: "localhost"
port = 8080
EOF
config=$(tusk_parse syntax-comparison.tsk)
echo "Traditional: $(tusk_get "$config" traditional.host):$(tusk_get "$config" traditional.port)"
echo "Modern: $(tusk_get "$config" modern.host):$(tusk_get "$config" modern.port)"
echo "Mixed: $(tusk_get "$config" mixed.host):$(tusk_get "$config" mixed.port)"

🔗 Real-World Use Cases

1. Team Preferences

Alice prefers colons
[alice_config]
api_key: @env("API_KEY")
timeout: 30
Bob prefers equals
[bob_config]
api_key = @env("API_KEY")
timeout = 30

2. Legacy Migration

Migrating from INI files
[legacy]
old_style: "value"
New TuskLang style
[modern]
new_style = "value"

3. Mixed Environments

[development]
debug: true
log_level = "debug"
[production]
debug = false
log_level: "error"

4. Syntax in Bash Scripts

#!/bin/bash
source tusk-bash.sh
Generate config with preferred syntax
if [[ "$PREFERRED_SYNTAX" == "colon" ]]; then
    cat > config.tsk << 'EOF'
[app]
host: "localhost"
port: 8080
EOF
else
    cat > config.tsk << 'EOF'
[app]
host = "localhost"
port = 8080
EOF
fi
config=$(tusk_parse config.tsk)
echo "Using $PREFERRED_SYNTAX syntax: $(tusk_get "$config" app.host)"

🧠 Advanced Syntax Patterns

Complex Objects

Colon style
[server_colon]
config: {
    host: "localhost",
    port: 8080,
    ssl: true
}
Equals style
[server_equals]
config = {
    host = "localhost",
    port = 8080,
    ssl = true
}

Arrays and Nested Structures

Mixed syntax in complex structures
[complex]
servers: ["web1", "web2"]
database = {
    host: "db.local",
    port = 5432
}

Dynamic Values

Both work with @ operators
[dynamic_colon]
api_key: @env("API_KEY")
timestamp: @date.now()
[dynamic_equals]
api_key = @env("API_KEY")
timestamp = @date.now()

🛡️ Security & Performance Notes

- No performance difference: Both syntaxes parse at identical speeds. - Security equivalence: Both syntaxes handle sensitive data identically. - Validation: Both syntaxes work with all validation operators.

🐞 Troubleshooting

- Mixed syntax errors: Ensure consistent spacing around operators. - Parsing issues: Both syntaxes are equally robust; issues are usually content-related. - Editor support: Some editors may prefer one syntax over the other for highlighting.

💡 Best Practices

- Choose one style per project: Consistency improves readability. - Team agreement: Establish syntax preferences in your team's style guide. - Legacy compatibility: Use colons when migrating from INI files. - Modern projects: Consider equals for new projects with modern tooling. - Document your choice: Include syntax preference in project documentation.

🔗 Cross-References

- Basic Syntax - Key-Value Basics - Best Practices

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Choose your syntax, own your style, and let TuskLang adapt to you. ⚖️