Common Lisp saw continued, albeit slow and steady, progress in 2023-2024. Key developments include improved tooling, notably with the rise of the CLPM build system and continued refinement of Roswell. Libraries like FFI, CFFI, and Bordeaux Threads saw improvements, along with advancements in web development frameworks like CLOG and Woo. The community remains active, albeit small, with ongoing efforts in areas like documentation and learning resources. While no groundbreaking shifts occurred, the ecosystem continues to mature, providing a stable and powerful platform for its dedicated user base.
This blog post, titled "These years in Common Lisp: 2023-2024 in review," offers a comprehensive retrospective on the advancements and noteworthy occurrences within the Common Lisp ecosystem over the past two years. The author, who actively participates in the community, structures the review around several key areas, providing detailed insights into each.
Firstly, the post acknowledges the continued, steady growth and maturation of the Common Lisp ecosystem, highlighting the stability of existing libraries and the emergence of new projects. This reinforces the perception of Common Lisp as a robust and evolving language, well-suited for long-term projects.
A significant portion of the review focuses on web development within Common Lisp. The author specifically praises the progress made with the CLOG web framework, lauding its unique approach to client-side rendering and the seamless integration it offers with the language's powerful features. Furthermore, they discuss other prominent web development tools and libraries like Hunchentoot and Caveman, demonstrating the breadth of options available to Common Lisp developers.
The evolution of tooling for Common Lisp also receives considerable attention. The author explores advancements in project management tools, build systems, and integrated development environments (IDEs), including Roswell and SLIMA. These improvements contribute significantly to the overall developer experience, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.
The post further delves into the expanding landscape of Common Lisp libraries. It highlights the rise of new libraries catering to diverse needs, from data processing and manipulation to network programming and graphical user interfaces. This burgeoning ecosystem signifies the community's active engagement and the language's adaptability to various domains.
A notable observation made by the author is the increasing adoption of Common Lisp in niche areas such as game development, scientific computing, and embedded systems. This expansion beyond traditional application areas demonstrates the versatility and power of Common Lisp, suggesting a broadening appeal among developers with specialized requirements.
The review also touches upon community initiatives, like conferences and online forums, emphasizing their crucial role in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. These platforms provide valuable avenues for developers to connect, learn from each other, and contribute to the growth of the Common Lisp ecosystem. The author's involvement in these activities lends credibility to their observations and highlights the vibrant nature of the community.
Finally, the post concludes with a positive outlook on the future of Common Lisp. The consistent progress in tooling, libraries, and community engagement paints an optimistic picture, suggesting continued growth and relevance for the language in the years to come. The author's enthusiasm for Common Lisp is palpable throughout the review, reinforcing the message of a thriving and dynamic language ecosystem.
Summary of Comments ( 11 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43089415
Several commenters on Hacker News appreciated the overview of Common Lisp's recent developments and the author's personal experience. Some highlighted the value of CL's stability and the ongoing work improving its ecosystem, particularly around areas like web development. Others discussed the language's strengths, such as its powerful macro system and interactive development environment, while acknowledging its steeper learning curve compared to more mainstream options. The continued interest and slow but steady progress of Common Lisp were seen as positive signs. One commenter expressed excitement about upcoming web framework improvements, while others shared their own positive experiences with using CL for specific projects.
The Hacker News post titled "These years in Common Lisp: 2023-2024 in review" has generated several comments discussing the state of Common Lisp and the blog post itself.
Several commenters express enthusiasm for the continued development and relevance of Common Lisp, particularly in niche areas. One commenter points out the impressive stability of Common Lisp libraries, highlighting how code written years ago continues to work seamlessly. This stability is contrasted with the faster-paced and sometimes breaking changes seen in other language ecosystems.
The discussion also touches on the practical applications of Common Lisp. One commenter mentions using it for a production system and praises its reliability. Others discuss its use in specific domains like game development, web development, and even music composition, showcasing its versatility.
Some comments delve into technical aspects of Common Lisp. There's a discussion about the efficiency of garbage collection and the performance benefits compared to other managed languages. The relative strengths and weaknesses of different Common Lisp implementations are also mentioned.
A few commenters discuss the challenges and perceptions surrounding Common Lisp. One acknowledges the steep learning curve, while another laments the scarcity of readily available learning resources compared to more mainstream languages. The perception of Common Lisp as an "academic" or "niche" language is also brought up.
The overall sentiment in the comments is positive towards Common Lisp, with many expressing appreciation for its power and elegance. However, there's also a realistic acknowledgement of the challenges it faces in terms of wider adoption and the need for improved learning resources.