Welcome to the YaoXiang Universe!
"The formless gives rise to the Ultimate. The Ultimate in motion generates yang; in stillness, it generates yin." — Zhou Dunyi, Explanation of the Diagram of the Ultimate
This is the center of the YaoXiang universe.
In Eastern philosophy, "Yao" (爻) is the fundamental symbol that composes hexagrams, embodying the interplay of yin and yang. "Xiang" (象) is the external manifestation of a thing's essence — all phenomena follow discernible patterns.
The YaoXiang programming language is an attempt to weave this ancient wisdom into a modern type system.
What is YaoXiang?
Imagine building with Lego bricks:
| Concept | Lego | YaoXiang |
|---|---|---|
| Basic unit | Brick | Type |
| Composition | Connecting | Function mapping |
| Finished work | Airplane, car | Program |
In the world of YaoXiang, everything is a type:
- Numbers are types, text is a type
- Types themselves are types (meta type)
- Functions are bridges from one type to another
Core Features
| Feature | YaoXiang | Example from other languages |
|---|---|---|
| Type system | Dependent types + parametric polymorphism | TypeScript |
| Memory management | Ownership model (no GC) | Rust |
| Async programming | Spawn model (effortless concurrency) | async/await |
| Syntax style | Python-style | Python |
In one sentence: As fluid as writing Python, as safe as Rust.
Learning Path
Users with programming experience
If you have a programming background, we recommend starting from "Quick Start for Experienced Programmers".
🚀 Quick Start for Experienced Programmers →
Users with no programming background
If you have no programming background, we recommend starting from "Beginner Introduction".
💡 Tip: Having no programming background is actually an advantage — without the baggage of other languages, you can understand YaoXiang's design philosophy most directly.
Who is YaoXiang for?
- ✅ Explorers interested in programming language design
- ✅ Enthusiasts of functional programming
- ✅ Practitioners curious about type systems
- ✅ Developers wanting to experience "effortless concurrency"
- ❌ Teams needing immediate production deployment (the language is still experimental)
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao." — YaoXiang is still in its early exploratory stage, and every pioneer shapes its future.
Next Steps
Or, begin with the core concepts:
We recommend starting with the Quick Start for a systematic study.
"As heaven maintains vigor through movements, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement."
May you discover your own Dao in the YaoXiang universe.