Stack notation: " -- ". Rightmost is top of stack (TOS). For example, in "a b -- c d", b is TOS before, d is TOS after. "R:" means that the Return Stack is modified. DOES>: Used inside a colon definition that itself uses CREATE, DOES> transforms that newly created word into a "does cell", that is, a regular cell ( when called, puts the cell's addr on PS), but right after that, it executes words that appear after the DOES>. "does cells" always allocate 4 bytes (2 for the cell, 2 for the DOES> link) and there is no need for ALLOT in colon definition. At compile time, colon definition stops processing words when reaching the DOES>. Example: ": CONSTANT CREATE HERE @ ! DOES> @ ;" Word references (wordref): When we say we have a "word reference", it's a pointer to a words *code link*. For example, the label "PLUS:" in this unit is a word reference. Why not refer to the beginning of the word struct? Because we actually seldom refer to the name and prev link, except during compilation, so defining "word reference" this way makes the code easier to understand. Atom: A word of the type compiledWord contains, in its PF, a list of what we call "atoms". Those atoms are most of the time word references, but they can also be references to NUMBER and LIT. *** Native Words *** : x ... -- Define a new word ; R:I -- Exit a colon definition . n -- Print n in its decimal form @ a -- n Set n to value at address a ! n a -- Store n in address a + a b -- c a + b -> c - a b -- c a - b -> c * a b -- c a * b -> c / a b -- c a / b -> c CREATE x -- Create cell named x. Doesn't allocate a PF. CURRENT -- n Set n to wordref of last added entry. DOES> -- See description at top of file DUP a -- a a ELSE -- Branch to THEN EMIT c -- Spit char c to stdout EXECUTE a -- Execute wordref at addr a HERE -- a Push HERE's address IF n -- Branch to ELSE or THEN if n is zero QUIT R:drop -- Return to interpreter promp immediately KEY -- c Get char c from stdin INTERPRET -- Get a line from stdin, compile it in tmp memory, then execute the compiled contents. OVER a b -- a b a SWAP a b -- b a THEN -- Does nothing. Serves as a branching merker for IF and ELSE. *** Core-but-Forth Words *** ? a -- Print value of addr a +! n a -- Increase value of addr a by n ALLOT n -- Move HERE by n bytes CONSTANT x n -- Creates cell x that when called pushes its value VARIABLE c -- Creates cell x with 2 bytes allocation.