HowTo create a LuaLatex package

Question

I would like to develop LuaLatex packages. I am very interested by the scripting capability of LuaLatex, so I'd like to use it as much as possible instead of Latex or Tex.

Is there a "standard" or "time-tested" way to write a LuaLatex packages?

What is the main differences/similarities between Latex packaging and LuaLatex packaging?

Welcome to TeX.SX. I think you must differ between a latex .sty and a direct .lua package. — , Mar 01 '15 at 10:51
You mean, instead of using: \usepackage{myPackage} I should use: dofile("myPackage.lua") — jvtrudel, Mar 01 '15 at 10:54
No, in writing ... Some .lua code packages are included within an importing .sty file, most times having the same basename, i.e. foo.sty imports foo.lua, but I am not an expert in luatex, others should provide more profound answers — , Mar 01 '15 at 10:55
Welcome to TeX.SX! You can have a look at our starter guide to familiarize yourself further with our format. — Martin Schröder, Mar 02 '15 at 00:50
Note about dofile: it might not work luatex - LuaLatex package: \dofile results in error "no such file or directory" - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange — user202729, Jul 06 '22 at 17:15

score 9 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 27 '15 at 18:44

It all depends...

luatex is a two-language system and a lualatex package can use either language.

You could write a package written just as a classic latex package but using some of the extended tex commands available in luatex, such as \umathchar etc.

You could write code that is almost all Lua, with just a very thin TeX wrapper mypackage.sty that just does \directlua{require("mypackage")} (luaotfload comes to mind)

There isn't really a lot in common between these kinds of packages other than that the end user doesn't necessarily need to know anything about the implementation language, and can just do

\usepackage{mypackage}

In one case, The coding practices are just as in classic TeX, in the other case, the coding practices are those of Lua (mostly).

HowTo create a LuaLatex package

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