Programming Guide

This section covers everything you need to program robots with the raccoon SDK — from writing your first mission to tuning low-level motor controllers.

The Mental Model

raccoon is a layered framework. You write missions in Python using a high-level DSL; the control loops, kinematics, and hardware drivers run in compiled C++ underneath. You never need to write C++ to build a competition robot.

Three things you touch directly:

1. YAML config (raccoon.project.yml and config/*.yml) — describes your hardware, drive geometry, and mission list. The CLI reads this and generates Python.
2. Mission files (src/missions/*.py) — describe what the robot does, step by step. You own these entirely.
3. Custom step files (src/steps/*.py) — reusable behaviors you package as functions or classes.

Two things the CLI generates for you — do not edit by hand:

• src/hardware/defs.py — every motor, servo, and sensor as Python objects
• src/hardware/robot.py — the Robot class with kinematics, drive, and odometry wired together

The YAML is the single source of truth for hardware. Change hardware in YAML, run raccoon run, and the generated files update automatically.

graph TD
    A["Your Mission Code (Python)"] --> B["Step DSL"]
    B --> C["Motion Controller"]
    C --> D["Drive + Kinematics"]
    D --> E["HAL (Hardware Abstraction)"]
    E --> F["Wombat Platform Driver"]
    F --> G["Motors / Servos / Sensors"]

    style A fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff
    style B fill:#66BB6A,color:#fff
    style C fill:#42A5F5,color:#fff
    style D fill:#42A5F5,color:#fff
    style E fill:#AB47BC,color:#fff
    style F fill:#AB47BC,color:#fff
    style G fill:#FF7043,color:#fff

Suggested Reading Path

New to raccoon? Read in this order:

1. Your First Robot Program — hands-on, no prerequisites
2. Project Structure — understand what files do what
3. Robot Definition — configure your specific hardware
4. Missions — write real competition code
5. Stop Conditions + Calibration — make it accurate

Want the full picture first? Read Architecture & Project Model and Architecture Overview before anything else.

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