getting-started.md

Getting Started with p8

To start out, create your project directory. Then from inside of your project directory, follow these instructions:

1. Create a p8.json

p8 init

This is the main file required for managing your project and its dependencies. Running p8 init will help you interactively create this file.

💡 run p8 init --help for more info

2. Add your dependencies

p8 add [file|url...]

The path to local or remote .lua or .moon modules goes in the dependencies section of your p8.json. The path to local or remote .png, .jpg, or .gif sprites goes in the gfxDependencies section of your p8.json.

Adding either kind of dependency can be done easily by running p8 add <path/to/my/dependency>. Add as many or as few dependencies as you want (just be careful not to exceed the cartridge size and token limits). If you need some modules to test with, I've started posting some of my own in my pico_modules repo. Be sure to add raw urls.

💡 run p8 add --help for more info

3. Install your dependencies

p8 install

The actual code for your dependencies lives inside a pico_modules dir in the top level of your project. p8 install will automatically create this folder and save your dependencies inside it.

💡 run p8 install --help for more info

4. Run your cart!

p8 run -w

First, add some code to your entry point (the file listed as main in your p8.json). Next run p8 run -w to run your cartridge in watch mode to automatically reload as you edit your entry point.

💡 run p8 run --help for more info

Congrats -- now you can code efficiently with PICO-8! Go tell you friends 👌