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Nori

Unity Workflow

This page covers the full Unity-side workflow for working with Nori scripts: creating files, attaching them to GameObjects, reading compile output in the inspector, and using doc comments for tooltips.

Creating a script

To create a new .nori file, right-click in the Project window and select Create > Nori Script. Unity creates a file called NewNoriScript.nori with a starter template and enters rename mode so you can type a name immediately.

The template contains a minimal program:

on Start {
    log("Hello from Nori!")
}


on Interact {
    log("You clicked me!")
}

You can also create .nori files from any text editor and save them anywhere inside Assets/.

Adding a script to a GameObject

There are two ways to attach a Nori script to a GameObject:

Drag and drop

  1. Select a .nori file in the Project window.
  2. Drag it onto the Hierarchy window.
  3. Unity creates a new GameObject named after the file with a NoriScript component already wired up.

You can also drag onto an existing GameObject in the Hierarchy to add the script to it instead of creating a new one.

Add Component menu

  1. Select a GameObject in the scene.
  2. Click Add Component in the Inspector and choose Nori > Nori Script.
  3. Drag your .nori file from the Project window into the Nori Source field that appears.

Both methods automatically create a hidden UdonBehaviour behind the scenes and link it to the compiled program. You never need to configure UdonBehaviour manually.

The inspector

When you select a GameObject with a NoriScript component, the inspector shows:

  • Status bar — Displays “Compiled OK” when the script compiles without issues, or a summary like “2 errors, 1 warning” when there are problems.
  • Nori Source — The .nori file assigned to this component. Click the field to locate the file in the Project window.
  • Source Script — A read-only reference to the .nori asset.
  • Recompile — Click to force a recompile of the script. Useful after making manual changes.
  • Compile All Nori Programs — Recompiles every .nori file in the project.
  • Public Variables — A foldout listing every pub let variable. Edit values here just like any other Unity component.
  • Compiled Nori Udon Assembly — A foldout showing the generated Udon Assembly text.
  • Program Disassembly — A foldout showing the disassembled program bytecode (requires VRChat SDK).

Inline compile errors

When a .nori file contains errors or warnings, the inspector status bar shows a count like “2 errors, 1 warning”. Below the status bar, a Diagnostics foldout lists each issue with:

  • Error code — e.g., N0012
  • Line number — the line in the .nori file where the problem occurs
  • Message — a description of the issue
  • Hint — a suggestion for how to fix it (when available)

Errors appear with a red icon, warnings with a yellow icon. Fix the issues in your text editor, save the file, and the diagnostics update automatically.

Auto-refresh

The inspector listens for changes to .nori files via the Unity asset pipeline. When you save a .nori file in an external editor, Unity detects the change, reimports the file, and the inspector updates automatically. There is no need to click Recompile during normal development — just save and check the inspector.

You can also trigger a full recompile of all scripts at any time from Tools > Nori > Compile All Nori Scripts.

Doc comments

Use /// comments above a pub let declaration to add a description that appears as a tooltip in the Unity Inspector. When you hover over the variable’s field, the tooltip shows your comment text.

/// Maximum health points for this character.
pub let max_health: int = 100


/// How fast the door opens, in degrees per second.
/// Higher values make the animation snappier.
pub let door_speed: float = 90.0

In the inspector, hovering over Max Health shows “Maximum health points for this character.” and hovering over Door Speed shows “How fast the door opens, in degrees per second. Higher values make the animation snappier.”

Doc comments only apply to the pub let declaration immediately below them. Blank lines between the comment and the declaration are allowed. Regular // comments are ignored by the tooltip system.