Scala Reference Manuals

Here are our reference manuals about the Scala language: these manuals are available in pdf format, and are typeset for printing.

• The Scala Language Specification
  This is the most technical and detailed manual concerning the inner working of the Scala language. If you have any doubts concerning the behavior of a program written in Scala, if you wish to explore all of the most obscure features, or are interested in the expected semantics of the available constructs, this document will address your questions. If you still have doubts after reading this manual, you can ask for further explanations on our mailing lists.
   
• An Overview of the Scala Programming Language (2. Edition, 20 pages)
  A general, albeit fairly technical, introduction to Scala for programmers who are already fluent in object oriented programming. This document is a particularly interesting reading if you want to have a general overview of the main features of the language. For further information, a good follow-up is our online Tour of Scala.

The manuals above are reference material, and are rather on the technical side. If you need some introductory material instead, the following documents will be quite useful.

• A Brief Scala Tutorial
  A brief introduction to Scala for Java programmers. This document will introduce you to the core features of the language, from the point of view of a Java programmer. Interoperability with Java is also introduced.
   
• Scala By Example
  Learn Scala through a series of examples. An excellent step-by-step introduction to many of the Scala features with the help of simple code examples.

If you need a comprehensive and easy to follow manual for the Scala language, the book "Programming in Scala" is the canonical reference text; other books on Scala are also available.

• Translations of the Scala Manuals
  From time to time, Scala users living in different countries take the time to translate some of the manuals above in different languages. Find here their translated versions of the Scala manuals.
   
• The SID Library
  More on the technical side, Scala Improvement Documents (SIDs) are technical documents that describe the implementation and usage of specific Scala features or components. A SID is usually written when a new feature is added to Scala, either after or during the development process, and acts as a manual and guide to the new development. You can read more information about SIDs, or browse the SID Library online.