What is Lisp?
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<*LISP*> top-level syntax evaluation environment objects dynamic typing memory macros performance 3GL history compare combine |
"Lisp is a programmable programming language." -John FoderaroLISP is an acronym for LISt Processing. Its development history has often been associated with symbolic processing and with both computer and human languages. A heterogeneous list data type has always been built into the language in order to efficiently deal with arbitrary and changing models.
From this basis, a number of features have come to be expected from all members of the Lisp family of languages:
- top-level in which code can be run
- decoupled syntax from semantics
- compiled / interpreted
- language / libraries / environment
- object-oriented / procedural
- dynamic / static
- strong / weak typing
- memory mangagement
- macros
- effective use of computational resources
- 3GL/4GL/5GL
A paper titled Common Lisp: Myths and Legends tries to confront and dispel some of the myths and mistaken impressions associated with Lisp. The paper promotes Xanalys's Lisp products, but most of the arguments apply to other Common Lisp implementations as well.
Kent Pitman's More Than Just Words: Lambda, the Ultimate Political Party argues that Lisp is better defined as its community than as its various specifications.
Lisp may be combined with other languages to produce wide variety of applications.
There have been a number of comparisons between Lisp and other languages.