Unit Converter: A Tiny CLI in Lua
Build a converter that turns Celsius to Fahrenheit, miles to kilometers, and more, picking the right formula from the unit you name. Your first genuinely useful Lua tool.
What you'll be able to build
Build a converter that turns Celsius to Fahrenheit, miles to kilometers, and more, picking the right formula from the unit you name. Your first genuinely useful Lua tool. Along the way you pick up real, transferable Lua skills, not just this one project:
- functions with parameters and returns
- tables as a lookup of unit to formula
- if/elseif dispatch on the unit name
- numeric math and rounding
- string.format for clean output
- default values for missing input
A course like this one
Yours is built from your own placement, so module count and depth will differ. This map shows what a beginner-level Lua learner building Unit Converter actually gets.
- Module 1: Values, tables, and output6 lessons
Builds the script for your unit converter.
- Module 2: Tables as data: arrays, records, and lookups6 lessons
Builds the table model workflow for your unit converter.
- Module 3: Control flow and truthiness6 lessons
Builds the function that powers your unit converter.
- Module 4: Functions, varargs, and errors6 lessons
Builds the reusable module for your unit converter.
- Module 5: Metatables, coroutines, and program design6 lessons
Builds the metatable behaviour for your unit converter.
- Module 6: Packaging and release readiness3 lessons
Builds the release package for your unit converter.
How the lessons actually work
Every lesson has you predict what a piece of Lua code will output before you run it, then run it for real in your browser and fix what you got wrong. Each module ends in a challenge gate with hidden tests, so you can't advance until your code actually works. The course closes with a capstone that assembles everything into Unit Converter, and a runnable proof page tied to your own code.
Common questions
How long does the Unit Converter: A Tiny CLI in Lua course take?
about 8.5 hours, across 6 modules and 33 lessons, at roughly 15 minutes per lesson. Your own course may run shorter or longer, since it's sized to your placement result, not a fixed template.
Do I need experience?
No. This is a beginner-tier Lua project, built for someone writing their first real Lua programs.
How much does it cost?
$15 one-time, no subscription. The first module is free, so you can see exactly how the course teaches before you pay for the rest.