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Cordial Language Reference

Cordial is the primary source language for the Cord geometry system. It compiles to a trigonometric intermediate representation (TrigGraph) which can be evaluated as an f64 reference, compiled to WGSL shaders for GPU raymarching, or lowered to pure CORDIC shift-and-add arithmetic.

File extension: .crd

Variables

let r = 5
let height = 2 * pi
let s: Obj = sphere(r)

let introduces a new variable.
: Obj type annotation marks a variable as a renderable 3D object.
Variables can be reassigned: r = 10 (no let on reassignment).

Constants

Name	Value
`pi`, `PI`	3.14159...
`e`, `E`	2.71828...
`x`	Input X coord
`y`	Input Y coord
`z`	Input Z coord
`reg`	NaN register

x, y, z are the spatial coordinates — use them to build mathematical expressions and SDF fields directly.

Arithmetic

Syntax	Operation
`a + b`	Addition
`a - b`	Subtraction
`a * b`	Multiplication
`a / b`	Division
`a ^ b`	Power (²,³ optimized)
`-a`	Negation

Precedence: unary > power > multiplicative > additive. Parentheses for grouping: (a + b) * c.

Comments

// line comment
/= also a line comment

/* block comment */
/* nested /* block */ comments */

Trig Functions

Function	Aliases	Description
`sin(x)`		Sine
`cos(x)`		Cosine
`tan(x)`		Tangent
`asin(x)`	`arcsin`	Inverse sine
`acos(x)`	`arccos`, `arcos`	Inverse cosine
`atan(x)`	`arctan`	Inverse tangent
`sinh(x)`		Hyperbolic sine
`cosh(x)`		Hyperbolic cosine
`tanh(x)`		Hyperbolic tangent
`asinh(x)`	`arcsinh`	Inverse hyperbolic sine
`acosh(x)`	`arccosh`, `arcosh`	Inverse hyperbolic cosine
`atanh(x)`	`arctanh`	Inverse hyperbolic tangent

Math Functions

Function	Aliases	Description
`sqrt(x)`		Square root
`exp(x)`		e^x
`ln(x)`	`log`	Natural logarithm
`abs(x)`		Absolute value
`hypot(a, b)`		√(a² + b²)
`atan2(y, x)`		Two-argument arctangent
`min(a, b)`		Minimum
`max(a, b)`		Maximum
`length(a, b)`	`mag`	Magnitude (2D or 3D)
`mix(a, b, t)`	`lerp`	Linear interpolation
`clip(x, lo, hi)`	`clamp`	Clamp to range
`smoothstep(e0, e1, x)`		Hermite interpolation
`quantize(x, step)`		Snap to grid

SDF Primitives

These construct signed distance fields centered at the origin. All dimensions are half-extents (centered geometry).

Function	Arguments	Description
`sphere(r)`	radius	Sphere
`box(hx, hy, hz)`	half-extents	Axis-aligned box
`cylinder(r, h)`	radius, half-height	Z-axis cylinder
`ngon(n, side)`	sides (≥3), side length	Regular polygon prism
`N-gon(side)`	side length	Shorthand: `6-gon(2)` = hexagonal prism

Transforms

Transforms take an SDF as the first argument and modify its coordinate space.

Function	Aliases	Arguments	Description
`translate(sdf, tx, ty, tz)`	`mov`, `move`	SDF + offsets	Translate
`rotate_x(sdf, angle)`	`rx`	SDF + radians	Rotate around X
`rotate_y(sdf, angle)`	`ry`	SDF + radians	Rotate around Y
`rotate_z(sdf, angle)`	`rz`	SDF + radians	Rotate around Z
`scale(sdf, factor)`		SDF + uniform scale	Uniform scale
`mirror_x(sdf)`	`mx`	SDF	Mirror across YZ plane
`mirror_y(sdf)`	`my`	SDF	Mirror across XZ plane
`mirror_z(sdf)`	`mz`	SDF	Mirror across XY plane

CSG Boolean Operations

Function	Aliases	Arguments	Description
`union(a, b)`		two SDFs	Union (min)
`intersect(a, b)`		two SDFs	Intersection (max)
`diff(a, b)`	`subtract`	two SDFs	Difference (max(a, -b))

Waveform Functions

Function	Arguments	Description
`saw(x)`	input	Sawtooth wave
`tri(x)`	input	Triangle wave
`square(x)`	input	Square wave

DSP / Signal Functions

Function	Arguments	Description
`am(signal, carrier, depth)`		Amplitude modulation
`fm(signal, carrier, index)`		Frequency modulation
`lpf(signal, cutoff)`		Low-pass filter approximation
`hpf(signal, cutoff)`		High-pass filter approximation
`bpf(signal, lo, hi)`		Band-pass filter approximation
`dft(signal, n)`		Discrete Fourier approximation
`hilbert(x)`	`envelope`	Analytic signal envelope
`phase(x)`		Instantaneous phase

User-Defined Functions

f(a, b) = a^2 + b^2
let result = f(3, 4)

Define with name(params) = body. Body extends to the next newline or semicolon. Functions are expanded inline at each call site.

Schematics (`sch`)

Schematics are parameterized multi-statement blocks — like functions but with full block bodies containing let bindings, intermediate variables, and arbitrary nesting. The last expression is the return value.

sch Bracket(w, h, t) {
    let plate: Obj = box(w, h, t)
    let rib: Obj = box(t, h/2, t)
    union(plate, translate(rib, w/2, 0, 0))
}

let b = Bracket(10, 5, 0.5)
cast(b)

Schematics can call other schematics and user-defined functions. They can contain any number of statements.

sch Peg(r, h) {
    let shaft = cylinder(r, h)
    let head = translate(sphere(r * 1.5), 0, 0, h)
    union(shaft, head)
}

sch PegRow(n, spacing) {
    map(i, 0..n) { translate(Peg(0.5, 3), i * spacing, 0, 0) }
}

Iteration (`map`)

map evaluates a body for each integer in a range and unions all results. Iteration is unrolled at parse time — the TrigGraph is a DAG with no runtime loops.

map(variable, start..end) { body }

variable — bound to each integer in [start, end)
start..end — exclusive range; bounds must resolve to constants
body — any expression or block; can reference the iteration variable
All iterations are unioned (min)
Max 1024 iterations

Examples

// Row of 5 spheres along X
let row = map(i, 0..5) { translate(sphere(1), i * 3, 0, 0) }

// Ring of 8 spheres
let ring = map(i, 0..8) {
    rotate_z(translate(sphere(0.5), 5, 0, 0), i * pi/4)
}

// Grid using nested maps inside a schematic
sch Grid(nx, ny, spacing) {
    map(i, 0..nx) {
        map(j, 0..ny) {
            translate(sphere(0.4), i * spacing, j * spacing, 0)
        }
    }
}

let g = Grid(4, 6, 2)
cast()

Since map is an expression, it works anywhere: inside let bindings, as arguments to functions, inside schematic bodies, or nested in other maps.

Rendering with `cast()`

Nothing renders without an explicit cast() call.

Syntax	Effect
`cast()`	Render all defined variables
`cast(name)`	Render a specific variable
`name.cast()`	Dot syntax (Obj-typed variables only)

Multiple cast() calls accumulate. The GUI provides a Render button that inserts cast() automatically when new variables exist since the last cast.

Example

let a: Obj = sphere(3)
let b: Obj = box(4, 2, 1)
let c: Obj = translate(a, 5, 0, 0)
cast()

This renders a, b, and c as a union. Without cast(), nothing appears.

Plotting with `plot()`

Syntax	Effect
`plot()`	Plot all bare expressions
`plot(expr)`	Plot a specific expression

The GUI provides a Plot button that inserts plot() when new expressions exist since the last plot.

Example

sin(x) * exp(-x^2)
plot()

Complete Example

// Bolt head: hexagonal prism with a sphere on top
let head: Obj = 6-gon(3)
let dome: Obj = translate(sphere(3.2), 0, 0, 1.5)
let cap: Obj = intersect(head, dome)

// Shaft
let shaft: Obj = cylinder(1.2, 8)
let bolt: Obj = union(translate(cap, 0, 0, 8), shaft)

// Cross hole
let slot: Obj = box(0.4, 3, 10)
let slot2: Obj = rotate_z(slot, pi/2)
let cross: Obj = union(slot, slot2)

let final: Obj = diff(bolt, cross)
cast(final)

Schematics + Iteration

// Reusable peg schematic
sch Peg(r, h) {
    let shaft = cylinder(r, h)
    let head = translate(sphere(r * 1.5), 0, 0, h)
    union(shaft, head)
}

// Base plate with a ring of pegs
let plate: Obj = box(20, 20, 1)
let pegs: Obj = map(i, 0..8) {
    rotate_z(translate(Peg(0.5, 3), 8, 0, 1), i * pi/4)
}
let assembly: Obj = union(plate, pegs)
cast(assembly)

8.6 KiB Raw Blame History

Cordial Language Reference

Variables

Constants

Arithmetic

Comments

Trig Functions

Math Functions

SDF Primitives

Transforms

CSG Boolean Operations

Waveform Functions

DSP / Signal Functions

User-Defined Functions

Schematics (sch)

Iteration (map)

Examples

Rendering with cast()

Example

Plotting with plot()

Example

Complete Example

Schematics + Iteration

8.6 KiB

Raw Blame History

Schematics (`sch`)

Iteration (`map`)

Rendering with `cast()`

Plotting with `plot()`