A new Common Lisp implementation, named ALisp, is under development and currently supports ASDF (Another System Definition Facility) for system management. The project aims to create a small, embeddable, and efficient Lisp, drawing inspiration from other Lisps like ECL and SBCL while incorporating unique ideas. It's being developed primarily in C and is currently in an early stage, but the Savannah project page provides source code and build instructions for those interested in experimenting with it.
A new Common Lisp implementation, named ALisp, is currently under development and has reached a stage where it can be publicly announced. This project, hosted on the GNU Savannah platform, aims to create a fully compliant Common Lisp system. A significant milestone already achieved is the integration of ASDF, the de facto standard build system and package manager for Common Lisp. This allows developers to easily load, compile, and manage dependencies within the ALisp environment, signifying a substantial step towards practical usability. While still in its early stages, the availability of ASDF support suggests a growing maturity in the project. The project page provides access to the source code, indicating an open-source approach to development. Further details about the specific features, performance characteristics, or future roadmap of ALisp are not explicitly outlined in the announcement, suggesting the project is primarily focused on establishing core functionalities at this point. The announcement itself serves as a call for attention and potential collaboration within the Common Lisp community.
Summary of Comments ( 5 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43811432
Hacker News users discussed the new Common Lisp implementation, with many expressing interest and excitement. Several commenters praised the project's use of a custom reader and printer, viewing it as a potential performance advantage. Some discussion revolved around portability, particularly to WebAssembly. The project's licensing under LGPL was also a topic of conversation, with users exploring the implications for commercial use. Several users inquired about the motivations and goals behind creating a new Common Lisp implementation, while others compared it to existing implementations like SBCL and ECL. A few comments touched on specific technical aspects, such as the choice of garbage collection strategy and the implementation of the condition system. Some users offered helpful suggestions and expressed a desire to contribute.
The Hacker News post discussing a Common Lisp implementation in development called Alisp generated a moderate number of comments, focusing on a few key areas. Several commenters expressed interest and cautious optimism about the project, acknowledging the ambitious undertaking of creating a new Lisp implementation. Some questioned the practicality and potential benefits compared to existing, mature Common Lisp implementations like SBCL or CCL.
A significant thread of discussion revolved around the project's choice to not use garbage collection initially. Commenters debated the merits and drawbacks of this approach, with some suggesting it could offer performance advantages in certain scenarios, while others expressed concerns about the added complexity and potential for memory management issues for users. The original poster (OP) clarified that garbage collection is planned for the future, but the initial focus is on other aspects of the implementation.
Performance was another recurring theme, with inquiries about benchmarks and comparisons to other Lisps. The OP indicated that performance is a goal, but the project is still in early stages, and extensive benchmarking hasn't been conducted yet.
There was also discussion regarding the specific features and design choices of Alisp, such as the compiler's output, the rationale behind certain implementation details, and the use of C as the implementation language. Some commenters expressed curiosity about the potential for integration with existing C libraries.
A few commenters offered constructive feedback and suggestions, such as exploring different compilation strategies or considering compatibility with existing Common Lisp tooling. Overall, the comments reflected a mixture of curiosity, skepticism, and encouragement for the project, highlighting the challenges and opportunities inherent in developing a new Lisp implementation.