# left

[Built-ins](README.md)

Canonical ID: `turtle.turnLeft`. Nederlands: `links`.

Changes heading counter-clockwise for positive degrees without moving the turtle. A negative amount turns in the opposite direction. Turning does not draw, regardless of pen state. These are degrees, not radians.

## Signature

```text
left(degrees)
```

## Arguments

| Parameter | Type | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| `degrees` | Number | Finite signed angle in degrees. |

## Return value

`None`.

## Example

```pliro
# language: en
for side in [1, 2, 3, 4]:
    forward(60)
    left(90)
```

Draws a square from the current turtle state.

## Notes and common mistakes

Use the function name for your source language. Its [canonical ID](../concepts/canonical-identity.md) is a shared documentation label; you do not type that ID as a call. Giving your own variable or function the same name can hide the built-in. Supply the documented [arguments](../concepts/parameters-and-arguments.md) and value types. Pliro reports mismatches when checking can detect them, or when the call runs.

A **host** is the app or environment running your program. To see a drawing, it needs a **renderer**, the part that draws on screen. The [command-line](../concepts/command-line.md) command `pliro run` shows text but does not draw these graphics. The [host support table](../guides/hosts.md) explains which effects work in the IDE, browser, native app, and phone preview. A native build reports an unsupported capability instead of leaving it out.

The initial turtle is centered, facing up, with its pen down. State can persist between explicit [IDE](../concepts/ide.md) runs; Reset Scene restores it. Portable compositing with immediate scene graphics is not yet specified, so use a consistent drawing mode when comparing hosts.

## Related entries

[forward](forward.md) · [right](right.md) · [penUp](penUp.md) · [penDown](penDown.md) · [clear](clear.md) · [Programming guides](../guides/turtle.md) · [Host support](../guides/hosts.md) · [Calls and arguments](../syntax/calls.md)