The following are the basic commands (or instructions) that are available:

• (Karel moves forward one space)
  move

• (Karel turns left)
  turnleft

• (Karel picks up a beeper)
  pickbeeper

• (Karel puts down a beeper)
  putbeeper

• (Stop executing instructions)
  turnoff

These are instructions to the compiler (interperter) indicating:

• (the start and end of the program)
  BEGINNING-OF-PROGRAM
  ...
  END-OF-PROGRAM

• (the start and end of the executable instructions)
  BEGINNING-OF-EXECUTION
  ...
  END-OF-EXECUTION

• (the beginning and end of a group of instructions)
  BEGIN
  ...
  END

• (definition of user-made instruction)
  DEFINE-NEW-INSTRUCTION [new-name] AS
  [instruction(s)]

These instructions allows the user to test a condition in Karel's World and then direct the program to which instructions will be executed next.

• ( If the test is true, then execute the instructions in the THEN section. If the test is false, skip to the next instruction in the program.)

  IF [test]
  THEN [instruction(s)]

• ( If the test is true, then execute the instructions in the THEN section. If the test is false, execute the instructions in the ELSE section.)

  IF [test]
  THEN [instruction(s)]
  ELSE [instruction(s)]

These instructions allows the user to repeat the same instruction(s).

• ( Repeat the instructions a certain number of times.)
  ITERATE [positive-number] TIMES
  [instruction(s)]

• (If the test is true, execute the instructions. Before executing the instructions again, check to see if the test is still true. If the test is false, do not execute the instructions, and skip to the next instruction in the program.)
  WHILE [test] DO
  [instruction(s)]

These functions can be used for tests in the repetion instructions, or the conditional instructions.

• (Checking before letting Karel move.)
  front-is-clear
  front-is-blocked

  left-is-clear
  left-is-blocked

  right-is-clear
  right-is-blocked

  back-is-clear
  back-is-blocked

• (Checking for a beeper.)
  next-to-a-beeper
  not-next-to-a-beeper

  any-beepers-in-beeper-bag
  no-beepers-in-beeper-bag

• (Checking direction Karel is facing.)
  facing-north
  not-facing-north

  facing-south
  not-facing-south

  facing-east
  not-facing-east

  facing-west
  not-facing-west