# I'm new to lua, do i need to learn it before using defold?

**URL:** <https://forum.defold.com/t/im-new-to-lua-do-i-need-to-learn-it-before-using-defold/17934>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [March 16, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://forum.defold.com/t/im-new-to-lua-do-i-need-to-learn-it-before-using-defold/17934 "2018-03-16T21:26:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![marwandoesgames](https://forum-defold.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@marwandoesgames](https://forum.defold.com/u/marwandoesgames)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://forum.defold.com/t/im-new-to-lua-do-i-need-to-learn-it-before-using-defold/17934/1 "2018-03-16T21:26:21Z")

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as the title says, do i need to learn lua to use defold?

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**Author:** ![Gmanicus](https://forum-defold.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.defold.com/gmanicus/32/10312_2.png) [@Gmanicus](https://forum.defold.com/u/Gmanicus)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://forum.defold.com/t/im-new-to-lua-do-i-need-to-learn-it-before-using-defold/17934/2 "2018-03-16T21:51:20Z")

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Yes. Defold is not a drag-and-drop engine, although there are tutorials. The way I started probably wasn’t very efficient, but it kept me going in the beginning. I started by watching tutorials on how to program tower defenses in Starcraft 2. I moved from that into modding and from that to Gamemaker, but moved to Defold last year when I discovered Gamemaker’s vast limitations. It’s probably best to learn how to program before going and basically copy-pasting everything in the tutorials. Make sure you know what any code does, and how it does it, before you use it.

This is best answered by @britzl, only hours ago 😉 .

> [@I've been told I can learn Scripting here but I can't seem to find the tutorial link (SOLVED)](https://forum.defold.com/t/ive-been-told-i-can-learn-scripting-here-but-i-cant-seem-to-find-the-tutorial-link-solved/17917/2):
>
> Defold uses a programming language called Lua. It’s very commonly used in games, for scripting of plugins, ui or all game logic.
> 
> If you have no prior experience of programming in any language then you need to start from the absolute beginning. My recommendation is to read the book Programming in Lua: [Programming in Lua (first edition)](https://www.lua.org/pil/contents.html#P1)
> 
> If you know a bit of programming then maybe this is enough: [https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/lua/](https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/lua/)
> 
> Finally make sure to also read this: [Lua programming in Defold](https://www.defold.com/manuals/lua/)