Lua Guides, Tutorials & Reference

Latest guides

Lua MQTT: Connecting IoT Devices with Lightweight Messaging luaguides.dev/guides
Learn how to use Lua MQTT to connect IoT devices. Covers pub/sub patterns, QoS levels, retained messages, will messages, and production deployment checklists.

intermediate
Cross-Platform Scripting with Lua luaguides.dev/guides
Cross-platform scripting with Lua: handle paths, line endings, and environment variables on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Write portable scripts that run anywhere.

intermediate
Dependency Management Patterns in Lua luaguides.dev/guides
Master Lua dependency management with luarocks, submodule imports, and inline bundles. Find the right approach for your project size and deployment target.

intermediate
Event Systems and Message Passing in Lua luaguides.dev/guides
Build event systems in plain Lua: callbacks, publish-subscribe, message queues, coroutines, and OpenResty request handling.

intermediate
Logging Patterns and Frameworks in Lua luaguides.dev/guides
Explore practical logging patterns for Lua: add timestamps and log levels, write to files, use LuaLogging for advanced needs, and build a structured logger.

intermediate

Name	Section	Description
`math.floor`	Math Functions	Round a number down to the largest integer less than or equal to it, with integer-vs-float return behavior in Lua 5.4.
`math.max`	Math Functions	math.max returns the largest of two or more numbers in Lua 5.4, with integer and float subtype rules, type coercion, and edge-case behavior.
`math.abs`	Math Functions	`math.abs` returns the absolute value of a number in Lua 5.4. Preserves the integer/float subtype, handles math.mininteger safely, coerces numeric strings.
`math.ceil`	Math Functions	math.ceil rounds a number up to the smallest integer greater than or equal to it in Lua 5.4, with notes on integer/float subtypes and negative values.
`table.maxn (deprecated)`	Table Methods	table.maxn returns the largest positive numeric key in a table. Deprecated in Lua 5.2, removed in 5.3; use # or a pairs() loop.
`table.pack`	Table Methods	table.pack captures Lua varargs into a table with an n field that preserves the true argument count even when values are nil.

Why Lua docs work best with minimal complete snippets luaguides.dev/articles
How Lua docs work best with minimal complete snippets — small, runnable examples that teach real patterns without framework noise or extra scaffolding.

6 min read · March 12, 2026