Summary
Point is general-purpose in capability, but semantic in surface syntax. The language is shaped around the concepts people and agents need to inspect: data, derivations, rules, labels, effects, policies, workflows, routes, views, and commands.
Semantic application logic
Most general-purpose languages ask authors to model product ideas through implementation forms first: classes, functions, variables, mutable state, and framework code. Point starts one level higher.
A record says "this is the data shape." A calculation says "this value is derived." A rule says "this score or decision accumulates from conditions." A label says "this value classifies into user-facing text." These are still programming constructs, but they preserve intent.
label score status
input score: Int
output Text
when score >= 90 return "excellent"
otherwise return "keep going"Not a Python or TypeScript clone
Point has general-purpose language features: records, lists, optional values, result values, modules, actions, tests, views, routes, commands, a standard library, formatting, LSP, and TypeScript emit.
Its source is intentionally not a clone of def, class, let, braces, or framework boilerplate. Those constructs are useful implementation details, but they are not the only way to express software.
Lowering without exposing core syntax
The compiler lowers semantic source into an internal typed core IR. That core has familiar compiler-level concepts such as functions, types, loops, assignment, and calls, but production .point authors do not write core syntax.
This split keeps the source approachable while giving the checker and emitters a precise representation. The emitted TypeScript is boring on purpose: readable, typed target code for existing JavaScript stacks.
Honest limits
Point is not a standalone VM today. The main production target is TypeScript or JavaScript, and source mapping is currently stronger at declaration boundaries than at every expression inside generated code.
That tradeoff is deliberate for now. Point can be useful immediately inside existing stacks while the language and tooling mature.