Holon
Holon is a lightweight structural language designed as a Thinking Tool and Intermediate Langauge.
It bridges the gap between a messy whiteboard sketch and rigid implementation code. By using indentation for scope and four semantic operators for relationships, Holon allows you to model software architectures, business processes, logical arguments, and biological systems with zero friction.
Core Principle: Indentation defines scope. Operators define relationship.
🧠 Why Holon?
Most tools force you to choose: Draw a diagram (slow, hard to edit) or Write code (too detailed, hard to visualize).
Holon is an Intermediate Language. It is:
- Human-Optimized: Type as fast as you think. No closing tags, no semicolons.
- Machine-Readable: Structured enough to be parsed into JSON, YAML, or visualized as graphs.
- LLM-Friendly: The perfect format for providing context to AI models (ChatGPT, Claude) without the token overhead of verbose prose.
⚡ The 4 Operators
Holon reduces all complexity to four fundamental relationships.
| Symbol |
Keyword |
Relationship |
Direction |
Meaning |
+ |
CONTAINS |
Composition |
👇 |
The "Has-A" relationship. The Subject is made of this. |
^ |
BELONGS TO |
Aggregation |
👆 |
The "Part-Of" relationship. The Subject belongs to this group. |
<- |
NEEDS |
Dependency |
👈 |
Input. A pre-condition or resource required to exist. |
-> |
TRIGGERS |
Consequence |
👉 |
Output. An event, state change, or product produced. |
📚 Use Cases & Examples
1. Software Architecture
Map out microservices, API contracts, and data flows before writing a single line of code.
Payment Service
^ E-Commerce Backend Cluster
<- Stripe API Key
+ API Endpoint: POST /charge
<- Valid Auth Token
<- Request Body (JSON)
-> 200 OK (Transaction ID)
-> 402 Payment Required
-> Webhook: Payment_Succeeded
-> Email Service: Send Receipt
2. Logic & State Machines
Perfect for game design, UI state management, or logical argumentation.
Quest: The King's Sword
^ Act 2: The Rebellion
<- Player Level 10
<- Inventory: Broken Hilt
+ Objective: Gather Materials
+ 3x Iron Ore
+ 1x Dragon Scale
<- Defeat Dragon Boss
-> Reward: Excalibur
-> Reward: XP (5000)
3. AI Context & Prompt Engineering
Paste Holon blocks into LLMs to give them perfect structural understanding of your system.
# Context for AI:
User Profile Component
+ Avatar Image
<- Source URL
+ "Follow" Button
<- State: IsFollowing (Boolean)
-> OnClick
-> Toggle State
-> API Call: /user/follow
✨ Extension Features
This VS Code extension provides a first-class editing experience for .hln and .holon files.
- Semantic Highlighting:
- Distinct colors for Symbol Mode (
+, ^) and Verbose Mode (CONTAINS, BELONGS TO).
- Rich data typing for Units (
50ms, 10%), Booleans, Strings, and Paths (/api/v1).
- Property highlighting for
Key: Value pairs.
- Smart Snippets:
- Type
sub to scaffold a full Subject block.
- Type
+, ^, <, > for instant operator insertion.
- Editor Intelligence:
- Indentation-based code folding.
- Auto-closing pairs for brackets and quotes.
- Smart indentation on Enter.
🚀 Quick Start
- Install the extension.
- Create a file named
system.hln.
- Type
sub and press Tab to create your first Holon.
Snippet Reference
| Prefix |
Description |
Output |
sub |
New Block |
Creates a Subject with all 4 relationships. |
+ |
Contains |
+ Component |
^ |
Belongs To |
^ Group |
< |
Needs |
<- Requirement |
> |
Triggers |
-> Consequence |
: |
Property |
Key: Value |
📝 Release Notes
0.1.0
- Initial Release: Launched Holon Language Support.
- Syntax: Full support for Symbol and Verbose modes.
- Data Types: Added support for Units, Paths, and Properties.
Holon — Structure your thoughts.
