Learn Elvish - 10 Code Examples & CST Typing Practice Test

Elvish is a modern, expressive shell and scripting language designed for interactive use and automation. It emphasizes structured data, pipelines, modularity, and user-friendly syntax, combining features from traditional Unix shells with modern programming concepts.

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Elvish Counter and Theme Toggle Elvish Fibonacci Sequence Elvish Factorial Calculator Elvish Prime Checker Elvish Sum of List Elvish Reverse String Elvish Multiplication Table Elvish Celsius to Fahrenheit Elvish Simple Alarm Simulation Elvish Random Walk Simulation

Learn ELVISH with Real Code Examples

Updated Nov 20, 2025

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Code Sample Descriptions

Elvish Counter and Theme Toggle

count = 0
isDark = $false

fn updateUI {
    echo "Counter: $count"
    if $isDark {
        echo "Theme: Dark"
    } else {
        echo "Theme: Light"
    }
}

fn increment {
    count = (math $count + 1)
    updateUI
}

fn decrement {
    count = (math $count - 1)
    updateUI
}

fn reset {
    count = 0
    updateUI
}

fn toggleTheme {
    isDark = (not $isDark)
    updateUI
}

# Simulate actions
updateUI
increment
increment
toggleTheme
decrement
reset

Demonstrates a simple counter with theme toggling using Elvish variables and functions.

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Elvish Fibonacci Sequence

a = 0
b = 1
echo $a
echo $b
for i (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8) {
    c = (math $a + $b)
    echo $c
    a = $b
    b = $c
}

Generates the first 10 Fibonacci numbers.

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Elvish Factorial Calculator

fn fact [n]{
    if (math $n == 0) {
        return 1
    } else {
        return (math $n * (fact (math $n - 1)))
    }
}
echo (fact 5)

Calculates factorial of a number recursively.

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Elvish Prime Checker

fn isPrime [n]{
    if (math $n < 2) { return $false }
    for i (2..(math $n - 1)) {
        if (math $n % $i == 0) { return $false }
    }
    return $true
}
echo (if (isPrime 13) {"Prime"} else {"Not Prime"})

Checks if a number is prime.

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Elvish Sum of List

lst = [1 2 3 4 5]
sum = 0
for x $lst {
    sum = (math $sum + $x)
}
echo $sum

Calculates sum of a list of numbers.

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Elvish Reverse String

s = "HELLO"
r = (reverse $s)
echo $r

Reverses a string.

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Elvish Multiplication Table

n = 5
for i (1..10) {
    echo (str $n " x " $i " = " (math $n * $i))
}

Prints multiplication table of a number.

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Elvish Celsius to Fahrenheit

c = 25
f = (math ($c * 9 / 5) + 32)
echo $f

Converts Celsius to Fahrenheit.

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Elvish Simple Alarm Simulation

temp = 80
thresh = 75
echo (if ($temp > $thresh) {"Alarm: Temperature Too High!"} else {"Temperature Normal"})

Simulates an alarm if a threshold is exceeded.

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Elvish Random Walk Simulation

steps = 10
pos = 0
for i (1..$steps) {
    if (random 1 < 0.5) {
        pos = (math $pos + 1)
    } else {
        pos = (math $pos - 1)
    }
    echo $pos
}

Simulates a 1D random walk.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Elvish

What is Elvish?

What are the primary use cases for Elvish?

Interactive shell for Unix/Linux systems. Automation scripts for system tasks. Structured data pipelines and processing. Custom command extensions. Rapid prototyping of shell scripts

What are the strengths of Elvish?

More expressive than traditional shells like Bash or Zsh. Supports structured data natively in pipelines. Interactive features for productivity. Extensible with custom modules. Modern scripting for system automation

What are the limitations of Elvish?

Smaller ecosystem compared to Bash/Zsh. Learning curve for users familiar with traditional shells. Limited adoption in enterprise environments. Not pre-installed on most systems. Some older shell scripts may need rewriting

How can I practice Elvish typing speed?

CodeSpeedTest offers 10+ real Elvish code examples for typing practice. You can measure your WPM, track accuracy, and improve your coding speed with guided exercises.

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Code Sample Descriptions

Elvish Counter and Theme Toggle

count = 0
isDark = $false

fn updateUI {
    echo "Counter: $count"
    if $isDark {
        echo "Theme: Dark"
    } else {
        echo "Theme: Light"
    }
}

fn increment {
    count = (math $count + 1)
    updateUI
}

fn decrement {
    count = (math $count - 1)
    updateUI
}

fn reset {
    count = 0
    updateUI
}

fn toggleTheme {
    isDark = (not $isDark)
    updateUI
}

# Simulate actions
updateUI
increment
increment
toggleTheme
decrement
reset

Demonstrates a simple counter with theme toggling using Elvish variables and functions.

Let’s Try →

Elvish Fibonacci Sequence

a = 0
b = 1
echo $a
echo $b
for i (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8) {
    c = (math $a + $b)
    echo $c
    a = $b
    b = $c
}

Generates the first 10 Fibonacci numbers.

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Elvish Factorial Calculator

fn fact [n]{
    if (math $n == 0) {
        return 1
    } else {
        return (math $n * (fact (math $n - 1)))
    }
}
echo (fact 5)

Calculates factorial of a number recursively.

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Elvish Prime Checker

fn isPrime [n]{
    if (math $n < 2) { return $false }
    for i (2..(math $n - 1)) {
        if (math $n % $i == 0) { return $false }
    }
    return $true
}
echo (if (isPrime 13) {"Prime"} else {"Not Prime"})

Checks if a number is prime.

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Elvish Sum of List

lst = [1 2 3 4 5]
sum = 0
for x $lst {
    sum = (math $sum + $x)
}
echo $sum

Calculates sum of a list of numbers.

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Elvish Reverse String

s = "HELLO"
r = (reverse $s)
echo $r

Reverses a string.

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Elvish Multiplication Table

n = 5
for i (1..10) {
    echo (str $n " x " $i " = " (math $n * $i))
}

Prints multiplication table of a number.

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Elvish Celsius to Fahrenheit

c = 25
f = (math ($c * 9 / 5) + 32)
echo $f

Converts Celsius to Fahrenheit.

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Elvish Simple Alarm Simulation

temp = 80
thresh = 75
echo (if ($temp > $thresh) {"Alarm: Temperature Too High!"} else {"Temperature Normal"})

Simulates an alarm if a threshold is exceeded.

Let’s Try →

Elvish Random Walk Simulation

steps = 10
pos = 0
for i (1..$steps) {
    if (random 1 < 0.5) {
        pos = (math $pos + 1)
    } else {
        pos = (math $pos - 1)
    }
    echo $pos
}

Simulates a 1D random walk.

Let’s Try →

Frequently Asked Questions about Elvish

What is Elvish?

What are the primary use cases for Elvish?

Interactive shell for Unix/Linux systems. Automation scripts for system tasks. Structured data pipelines and processing. Custom command extensions. Rapid prototyping of shell scripts

What are the strengths of Elvish?

What are the limitations of Elvish?

How can I practice Elvish typing speed?

CodeSpeedTest offers 10+ real Elvish code examples for typing practice. You can measure your WPM, track accuracy, and improve your coding speed with guided exercises.