0.6 release (#6)

Blog post and documentation updates for the 0.6 release.

blog/2024-07-14-swarm-0.6-release.md

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+---
+title: "Swarm 0.6 release"
+author: "Brent Yorgey"
+---
+
+The [Swarm](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/) development team is
+pleased to announce the latest (alpha) release of the game.
+
+It's been quite a while since our last release, so this one includes a
+lot.  Some of the biggest highlights include native Windows support,
+customizable keybindings, type synonyms and equirecursive types, many
+UI improvements, and a prototype tournament server where players can
+upload their solutions to challenge scenarios.
+
+We also have a [new Discord server][discord]---come say hi!
+
+Read on for a more in-depth discussion of some of the new features, or
+see the [CHANGELOG](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md) or even the [complete list of git
+commits](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/commits/main/?since=2023-11-01&until=2024-06-23).
+
+## What is it?
+
+As a reminder, Swarm is a 2D, open-world programming and resource
+gathering game with a strongly-typed, functional programming language
+and a unique upgrade system.
+
+## New challenge scenarios
+
+There are a number of new challenge scenarios included in this
+release, with example screenshots shown below.
+
+![](../gallery/beekeeping.png)
+
+![](../gallery/fishing.png)
+
+![](../gallery/dimsum.png)
+
+## Language improvements
+
+In terms of the Swarm programming language, this release has two big
+new features and one breaking change, adds several primitive
+commands, and fixes one embarrassing bug.
+
+New primitive commands include `volume` (for measuring enclosed
+areas) and `sow` (for planting things that grow and spread). In
+addition, quite a few primitive commands that were previously only available
+to system robots or in creative mode now have corresponding craftable
+entities (*e.g.* `selfdestruct` via `detonator`; `teleport` via `infinite
+improbability drive`; `push` via `dozer blade`; *etc.*)
+
+The big new features are *type synonyms* and *(equi-)recursive types*.
+For example, you can now define a type of lists like so:
+
+```
+tydef List a = rec l. Unit + a * l end
+
+def length : List a -> Int = \xs.
+  case xs
+    (\_. 0)
+    (\c. 1 + length (snd c))
+end
+```
+
+Note that [types must now start with uppercase
+letters](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1583), but you can
+use `swarm format --v0.5` to convert old code to the new format.
+
+Finally, an embarrassing [bug where variable names sometimes shadowed
+things in outer
+scopes](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/681) has been fixed
+via a [massive rewrite that ended up closing a total of *ten*
+issues all at once](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1928).
+
+## UI enhancements
+
+This release features a number of improvements to the user interface.
+For example:
+
+- Typing an open bracket at the REPL now automatically inserts a
+  matching close bracket ([#1953](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1953))
+- Rather than highlight the entire REPL input in red when there is an
+  error, now only the specific portion indicated as the source of the
+  error is highlighted ([#1957](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1957))
+- Popup notifications for new achievements, recipes, and commands ([#2027](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/2027))
+- Customizable keybindings ([#1979](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1979))
+
+## Structure recognizer
+
+Scenario authors can define "structures"---2D configurations of entities---that can be composed into larger scenes.
+New is the ability to recognize when the **player** has assembled one of these predefined structures, which
+can be used as a goal criteria or to trigger other events.
+
+![](../gallery/structure-recognition.png)
+
+Structure recognition is implemented as an efficient 2D [Aho-Corasick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aho%E2%80%93Corasick_algorithm) matcher.
+Modification of a cell in the world triggers a scan for matches against the library of defined structures.
+Metaphorically speaking, a "house" will be recognized exactly when the last "brick" is placed.
+
+## Cabal sublibraries
+
+A potentially underappreciated feature of Cabal is the ability to split a package into self-contained internal
+libraries, known officially as "[sublibraries](https://cabal.readthedocs.io/en/stable/cabal-package-description-file.html#library)".
+This has been a powerful tool for us to clean up inter-module dependencies and establish system boundaries. Better disciplined dependencies between modules has sped up incremental compilation and makes it easier to navigate around the code.
+
+We were also able to split off tool functionality that depends on heavyweight external packages (*e.g.* `pandoc`) without bogging down compilation of the main game.
+
+<div style="text-align:center;">
+<img src="../images/sublibrary-graph.svg" width="250">
+</div>
+
+Refactoring into sublibraries starts by selecting a group of modules that is ostensibly self-contained, then iterating with compiler feedback to find where our boundary assumptions are incorrect. This process yields more generic code with loose coupling and high cohesion.
+
+Sometimes it's just a matter of relocating code between modules or introducing a dedicated "Types" module.
+In certain cases, we learn that code destined for the sublibrary has references to a "downstream" type; that is, the type is defined in a library that depends on our new sublibrary. We can parameterize the sublibrary code on that type, and just pass it in concretely at the downstream call site.
+For example, we made the code dealing with world composition independent of the `Entity` type ([#1836](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1836), [#1924](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1924)).
+
+## Give it a try!
+
+To install, check out the [installation instructions][install]: you
+can download a [binary release][release] (for now, Linux only, but
+MacOS and Windows binaries should be on the horizon), or [install from
+Hackage][hackage]. Give it a try and send us your feedback, either
+[via a GitHub issue][issue] or [Discord][discord]!
+
+[install]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm#installing
+[release]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/releases
+[hackage]: https://hackage.haskell.org/package/swarm
+[issue]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/new/choose
+
+## Future plans & getting involved
+
+We're still hard at work on the game. Fun upcoming things include:
+
+- More fully fleshed-out [tournament server](https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/pull/1798)
+- [Saving and loading games][saving]
+- New world features like aliens and [cities][cities]
+- New language features like [arrays][arrays], [inter-robot communication][robot-comm], and [a
+  proper `import` construct][import]
+
+[cities]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/1944
+[saving]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/50
+[arrays]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/98
+[robot-comm]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/94
+[import]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues/495
+
+Of course, there are also [tons of small things that need fixing and
+polishing][low-hanging] too! If you're interested in getting
+involved, check out our [contribution guide][contrib], come [join us
+on Discord][discord], or take a look at the list of
+[issues marked "low-hanging fruit"][low-hanging].
+
+[contrib]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md
+[low-hanging]: https://github.com/swarm-game/swarm/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+label%3A%22C-Low+Hanging+Fruit%22
+[discord]: https://discord.gg/kp8MuSgkPw
+
+Brought to you by the Swarm development team:
+
+- Brent Yorgey
+- Karl Ostmo
+- Nitin Prakash
+- Noah Yorgey
+- Ondřej Šebek
+
+With contributions from:
+
+- Alexander Block
+- Brian Wignall
+- Chris Casinghino
+- Chris Hackett
+- Daniel Díaz Carrete
+- Gagan Chandan
+- Huw Campbell
+- Ishan Bhanuka
+- Jacob
+- Jens Petersen
+- Joshua Price
+- lsmor
+- Luis Morillo
+- Mark Goadrich
+- Norbert Dzikowski
+- Paul Brauner
+- persik
+- Ryan Yates
+- Sam Tay
+- Steven Garcia
+- Tamas Zsar
+- Tristan de Cacqueray
+- Valentin Golev
+- Yaroslav Kozhevnikov
+
+...not to mention many others who gave valuable suggestions and
+feedback. Want to see your name listed here in the next release?
+[See how you can contribute!][contrib]

gallery/beekeeping.png.metadata

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+caption: Beekeeping challenge scenario

gallery/dimsum.png.metadata

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+caption: Dim sum restaurant challenge scenario

gallery/fishing.png.metadata

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+caption: Fishing challenge scenario

gallery/structure-recognition.png.metadata

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+caption: Recognizing user-built structures