Question 1

How to use tiny-ecs with the LÖVE game framework?

Accepted Answer

Integrate tiny-ecs by requiring it in your LÖVE project and creating systems that update in LÖVE's callbacks like love.update. The demo branch provides a complete example game using LÖVE, showing entity management and rendering workflows.

Question 2

Tiny-ecs vs ECS-Lua: which is better for my project?

Accepted Answer

Tiny-ecs is simpler and more lightweight, with a minimal API focused on Lua-native flexibility, while ECS-Lua might offer more features but with added complexity. Choose tiny-ecs for small to medium projects where seamless Lua integration is a priority over extensive tooling.

Question 3

How to create a system that doesn't process entities in tiny-ecs?

Accepted Answer

Define a system without a filter or with a custom function that returns false for all entities; it will act as a callback run every update, useful for global logic like input handling or rendering setup, as mentioned in the Systems overview.

Question 4

Best way to handle entity removal and cleanup in tiny-ecs?

Accepted Answer

Manage entity lifecycles manually by adding a marker component like 'dead' and using a separate system to filter and remove entities from the world, as tiny-ecs doesn't provide built-in deletion helpers, requiring custom implementation.

Question 5

Does tiny-ecs support component inheritance or mixins?

Accepted Answer

No, components are plain Lua tables, so inheritance must be handled manually via copying or using Lua's OOP frameworks. The library encourages composition over inheritance, as seen in the object-oriented friendly design.

Question 6

How to optimize performance with thousands of entities?

Accepted Answer

Use efficient filters, avoid expensive Lua operations in systems, and consider using LuaJIT for just-in-time compilation. Profiling with Lua tools is essential since tiny-ecs lacks built-in performance monitoring or caching mechanisms.

tiny-ecs

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