As you may know, the newest Fold-it update includes support for Lua Scripting. In very basic terms, Lua is a simple programming language that we can use to manipulate proteins and automate repetitive tasks -- much like we already do with the Cookbook. A script is actually quite similar to a Cookbook recipe (as well as to a real-life recipe for say, a cake) -- it contains a series of instructions that tell Foldit what to do with your protein (just as a real-life recipe has step by step instructions about how to combine ingredients to create a cake!)

Lua scripting adds an exciting new layer of gameplay to Foldit! Fortunately, lua is easy enough to learn that everyone can use it, even people who have never programmed or scripted before. Read on to find out how to get started!