diff --git a/luash b/luash
index 77f6b3d..0dfe261 100755
--- a/luash
+++ b/luash
@@ -223,12 +223,32 @@ function start_repl()
 end
 
 -- 1. Check for an input file or REPL mode
+local debug_mode = false -- legacy alias for highlight compile
+local compile_mode = false
+local highlight_mode = false
 local filename = arg[1]
+if filename == "-d" or filename == "--debug" then
+  debug_mode = true
+  compile_mode = false
+  highlight_mode = true
+  filename = arg[2]
+elseif filename == "-c" or filename == "--compile" then
+  compile_mode = true
+  highlight_mode = false
+  filename = arg[2]
+elseif filename == "-C" or filename == "--compile-highlight" then
+  compile_mode = true
+  highlight_mode = true
+  filename = arg[2]
+end
 
 if filename == "-h" or filename == "--help" then
   print("Usage: luash <script.luash>")
-  print("       luash -i  # Interactive mode")
-  print("       luash -h  # Show this help")
+  print("       luash -i        # Interactive mode")
+  print("       luash -c <file> # COMPILE MODE: print Lua and exit (no colors)")
+  print("       luash -C <file> # COMPILE MODE: print Lua with highlighting and exit")
+  print("       luash -d <file> # Print generated Lua (highlighted) then run")
+  print("       luash -h        # Show this help")
   return
 elseif not filename or filename == "-i" or filename == "--interactive" then
   start_repl()
@@ -236,5 +256,5 @@ elseif not filename or filename == "-i" or filename == "--interactive" then
 end
 -- Delegate to runner for file execution
 local runner = require('runner')
-runner.run_file(filename)
+runner.run_file(filename, { debug = debug_mode, compile = compile_mode, highlight = highlight_mode })
 
diff --git a/src/main.lua b/src/main.lua
index 64d92d0..49313d1 100644
--- a/src/main.lua
+++ b/src/main.lua
@@ -3,11 +3,31 @@ local runner = require('runner')
 local M = {}
 
 function M.run(argv)
+  local debug_mode = false -- legacy: maps to compile-highlight
+  local compile_mode = false
+  local highlight_mode = false
   local filename = argv[1]
+  if filename == "-d" or filename == "--debug" then
+    debug_mode = true
+    highlight_mode = true
+    compile_mode = false
+    filename = argv[2]
+  elseif filename == "-c" or filename == "--compile" then
+    compile_mode = true
+    highlight_mode = false
+    filename = argv[2]
+  elseif filename == "-C" or filename == "--compile-highlight" then
+    compile_mode = true
+    highlight_mode = true
+    filename = argv[2]
+  end
   if filename == "-h" or filename == "--help" then
     print("Usage: luash <script.luash>")
-    print("       luash -i  # Interactive mode")
-    print("       luash -h  # Show this help")
+    print("       luash -i        # Interactive mode")
+    print("       luash -c <file> # COMPILE MODE: print Lua and exit (no colors)")
+    print("       luash -C <file> # COMPILE MODE: print Lua with highlighting and exit")
+    print("       luash -d <file> # Print generated Lua (highlighted) then run")
+    print("       luash -h        # Show this help")
     return
   elseif not filename or filename == "-i" or filename == "--interactive" then
     local entry = require('repl')
@@ -26,7 +46,7 @@ function M.run(argv)
     entry.start(preprocess_luash_repl, load_injected_lib)
     return
   else
-    runner.run_file(filename)
+    runner.run_file(filename, { debug = debug_mode, compile = compile_mode, highlight = highlight_mode })
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/src/runner.lua b/src/runner.lua
index 7c5bfa9..6e0dad2 100644
--- a/src/runner.lua
+++ b/src/runner.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 local preprocess = require('preprocess')
 local injected = require('injected')
+local util = require('util')
 
 local M = {}
 
-function M.run_file(filename)
+function M.run_file(filename, opts)
   local file = io.open(filename, "r")
   if not file then
     print("Error: Cannot open file '" .. filename .. "'")
@@ -20,6 +21,62 @@ function M.run_file(filename)
   -- Load injected helpers into global scope (not prepended to source)
   injected.load()
 
+  -- Optional compile output of generated Lua
+  local dbg_env = os.getenv("LUASH_DEBUG")
+  local dbg_flag = opts and opts.debug == true
+  local compile_flag = opts and opts.compile == true
+  local highlight_flag = opts and opts.highlight == true
+  if dbg_flag or compile_flag or (dbg_env == "1" or dbg_env == "true" or dbg_env == "yes") then
+    -- If env var triggered, prefer highlighting
+    if not highlight_flag and (dbg_flag or (dbg_env == "1" or dbg_env == "true" or dbg_env == "yes")) then
+      highlight_flag = true
+    end
+    -- Try to read injected library source for holistic view
+    local injected_src = nil
+    do
+      local base = debug.getinfo(1, "S").source:match("@(.*/)") or "./"
+      base = base:gsub("/src/?$", "/")
+      local lib_path = base .. "src/lib/injected_lib.lua"
+      local f = io.open(lib_path, "r")
+      if f then
+        injected_src = f:read("*a")
+        f:close()
+      end
+    end
+    if injected_src and injected_src ~= "" then
+      print("--- Luash COMPILE MODE: injected library ---")
+      if highlight_flag then
+        local highlighted_inj = util.highlight_lua_ansi(injected_src)
+        if highlighted_inj then
+          io.write(highlighted_inj)
+          if not highlighted_inj:match("\n$") then io.write("\n") end
+        else
+          print(injected_src)
+        end
+      else
+        print(injected_src)
+      end
+      print("--- end injected library ---")
+    end
+
+    print("--- Luash COMPILE MODE: generated Lua (" .. filename .. ") ---")
+    if highlight_flag then
+      local highlighted = util.highlight_lua_ansi(source_code)
+      if highlighted then
+        io.write(highlighted)
+        if not highlighted:match("\n$") then io.write("\n") end
+      else
+        print(source_code)
+      end
+    else
+      print(source_code)
+    end
+    print("--- end generated Lua ---")
+
+    -- Only skip execution in explicit compile mode
+    if compile_flag then return end
+  end
+
   -- Execute
   local func, err = load(source_code, "@" .. filename)
   if not func then
diff --git a/src/util.lua b/src/util.lua
index 8edceb4..d9859f2 100644
--- a/src/util.lua
+++ b/src/util.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ function M.is_tty()
   return r == true
 end
 
+function M.is_stdout_tty()
+  local r = os.execute("test -t 1 >/dev/null 2>&1")
+  if type(r) == "number" then return r == 0 end
+  return r == true
+end
+
 function M.set_raw_mode(enable)
   if enable then
     os.execute("stty -echo -icanon -isig min 1 time 0")
@@ -18,6 +24,28 @@ function M.set_raw_mode(enable)
   end
 end
 
+function M.has_command(cmd)
+  local r = os.execute("command -v " .. cmd .. " >/dev/null 2>&1")
+  if type(r) == "number" then return r == 0 end
+  return r == true
+end
+
+function M.highlight_lua_ansi(code)
+  if not M.has_command("highlight") then return nil end
+  local tmpin = os.tmpname()
+  local f = io.open(tmpin, "w")
+  if not f then return nil end
+  f:write(code)
+  f:close()
+  local handle = io.popen("highlight -O ansi -S lua " .. tmpin .. " 2>/dev/null")
+  if not handle then os.remove(tmpin); return nil end
+  local out = handle:read("*a") or ""
+  handle:close()
+  os.remove(tmpin)
+  if out == "" then return nil end
+  return out
+end
+
 function M.script_dir()
   return (debug.getinfo(2, "S").source:match("@(.*/)") or "./")
 end