Lua with Neowin: OOP with Metatables — __index, :new(), Colon Syntax & Inheritance | Episode 30

Lua doesn't have classes — but metatables give you everything you need. In this episode we build an object-oriented system from scratch: __index = self for method lookup, :new() constructors, the colon syntax and self parameter, defining methods, and building an inheritance chain where child classes extend parent classes. Every keystroke is shown on screen with 3-second pauses so you can follow along at your own pace. What You'll Learn: - __index = self — making a table act as a class - :new() constructor — creating instances with initial state - : colon syntax — automatic self parameter for methods - self — the implicit first argument in method calls - Inheritance chain — child classes extending parent classes - Method overriding — replacing parent behavior in children Student Code: https://github.com/GoCelesteAI/learn-lua-in-neovim/tree/main/episode30 Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:12 Preview 0:44 Animal Class — Constructor & Methods 5:16 Run Animal 5:34 Inheritance — Dog Extends Animal 7:52 Dog Test — speak, fetch, describe 10:08 Final Run 10:51 Recap 11:19 Endscreen Key Takeaways: 1. __index = self makes method lookup follow the prototype chain 2. :new() creates instances by setting the metatable to the class 3. The colon : automatically passes self as the first argument 4. Inheritance works by chaining __index through parent tables 5. Child methods override parent methods — Lua checks the instance first This is Episode 30 of the Learn Lua in Neovim series. New episodes cover the Neovim Lua API and writing your first Neovim plugin — all coded inside Neovim. Taught by CelesteAI. Like & subscribe for more tutorials! #lua #neovim #programming #tutorial #beginners #learnlua #luaprogramming #neovimtutorial #luaoop #luainheritance #coding