How Lua Became the Embedded Language Powering Games and IoT

Episode 13 of The Programming Languages Podcast dives into Lua, the lightweight scripting language that quietly powers everything from World of Warcraft addons to Redis scripts and embedded IoT devices. Lucas explains how Lua's simple C API, small footprint, and fast interpreter made it the go-to embedded language, while Luna questions why it hasn't broken into broader application development. They walk through a real case: how a robotics startup replaced Python with Lua to cut memory usage by 80% on a microcontroller. By the end, you'll understand Lua's unique trade-offs and where it still wins today in 2026. #Lua #EmbeddedProgramming #GameDevelopment #IoT #Robotics #ScriptingLanguage #Redis #WorldOfWarcraft #Microcontroller #Python #CAPI #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ProgrammingLanguages #Lightweight #Performant #MemoryFootprint Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo