# Your first Pliro program

[Programming guides](README.md)

Start in the Pliro editor. Create a source file, copy the complete example below, and choose Run. Look for the messages in the output panel. You can do this before learning any command-line tools.

The program remembers a name and the number of lessons finished. It then chooses a message. Predict the two output lines before running it.

```pliro
# language: en

let name = "Pliro"
let lessonsFinished = 1

say "Hello, " + name + "!"

if lessonsFinished == 1:
    say "You finished your first lesson."
else:
    say "Every program starts with one small step."
```

## Try a small change

Change `lessonsFinished` from `1` to `0`. Which message changes? The greeting should stay the same. If you get an error, check the quotation marks and keep the indented lines inside their blocks.

## Using the command line

Save a standalone source file with the `.pliro` extension. From the repository,
it can be checked or run with:

```shell
go run ./cmd/pliro check program.pliro
go run ./cmd/pliro run program.pliro
```

An installed compiler uses the shorter commands:

```shell
pliro check program.pliro
pliro run program.pliro
```

Program statements execute from top to bottom. `let` declares a name, `say`
prints values, and the indented blocks belong to the `if` and `else` clauses.

## Related entries

[Syntax and values](../syntax/README.md) · [Built-ins](../builtins/README.md) · [Programming guides](README.md)