---
title: "Quickstart"
type: docs
---

# Quickstart

This quickstart walks through creating modules, programs, and running examples.

## Your First Module

A module (`.cm`) returns a frozen value — an API, a config, data.

Create `hello.cm`:

```javascript
return {
  greet: function(name) {
    return `Hello, ${name}!`
  }
}
```

## Your First Program

A program (`.ce`) is an entry point. It runs top-to-bottom and can register handlers.

Create `hello.ce`:

```javascript
var hello = use('hello')

log.console(hello.greet('Prosperon'))

$receiver(function(msg) {
  if (msg.type == 'ping') {
    send(msg, {type: 'pong'})
  }
})

$delay(_ => $stop(), 0.1)
```

## Modules vs Programs

| | Modules (`.cm`) | Programs (`.ce`) |
|---|---|---|
| Must return a value | Yes | No |
| Return value frozen | Yes | N/A |
| Can register handlers | No | Yes (`$receiver`) |
| Can spawn children | No | Yes (`$start`) |
| Cached after first load | Yes | N/A |

## Spawning Actors

Programs can spawn other programs as child actors:

```javascript
$receiver(function(e) {
  if (e.type == 'greet') {
    log.console('Child greeted me')
  }
})

$start(function(info) {
  if (info.type == 'greet') {
    log.console('Spawned child actor')
  }
}, 'hello.ce')

$delay(_ => $stop(), 0.5)
```

## Actor Primitives

| Primitive | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| `$start(callback, path)` | Spawn a child actor from a program |
| `$receiver(callback)` | Register a message handler |
| `send(target, message)` | Send a message to an actor |
| `$delay(callback, seconds)` | Schedule a one-shot callback |
| `$clock(callback, interval)` | Schedule a repeating callback |
| `$stop()` | Terminate the current actor |

## Module Resolution

`use('path')` looks for modules in this order:

1. The current module's directory for `path.cm`
2. The mounted roots (the program's directory is mounted) for `path.cm`
3. Embedded/native modules if no script file is found

Modules compile to bytecode (`.o` files) and are cached for fast reloading.

## Example Games

Prosperon ships with example games:

- **Pong** — two-player paddle game
- **Snake** — growing snake on a grid
- **Tetris** — falling block puzzle
- **Chess** — full chess with move validation
- **Bunnymark** — sprite rendering benchmark

## Next Steps

- [Tutorial](tutorial/) — Build a game step by step
- [Entities](entities/) — The world and entity model
- [Rendering](rendering/) — How drawing works
- [Input](input/) — Handling player input
- [API Reference](api/) — Full module documentation