LUA or Java API?

I’m going to open up some kind of api for the server to let people write plugins easier than to fiddle with stderr and stdin. The API would expose things like players trying to build blocks, what block types, player movement and player chat interception. The API would then let you send messages, teleport players, set blocks and probably load and save levels.

I’m considering doing this either in Java or in LUA

Advantages of Java:

* Very powerful, can do ANYTHING.
* Easy to maintain. I’d just open source parts of the server software. (not all, not yet)

Advantages of LUA:

* An easier language than Java for the plugin writer
* More secure. You can be certain that a server plugin won’t format your harddrive
* Forces a clean separation between the API and the server code

I think I’m leaning towards LUA, but I’d like to hear your opinions on this.

posted 14 years ago