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zlurker | 3 years ago

How would it compare to other REPL languages? EG: Python, Scala or Julia?

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sleepycatgirl|3 years ago

More integration, and it's more powerful. With python, you less so use REPL for development, and more for testing, while in Common Lisp, you develop with it.

You have REPL running, you can evaluate functions, and definitions on the fly, or completely re-define the function, even if said function is being called in a loop by other one, and it will work. Or, redefine classes, and it will be fine. Or, if function errors, debugger gets launched, and you have option to redefine variables, and the function will continue with that variable (if, you called undefined variable)

Though, I believe, its better to see how it works, rather than read, While the video is not mine, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pMyhrDcMzw And remember, this is not hot reloading.

draegtun|3 years ago

The REPLs that come with Lisp, Smalltalk & Factor are in a different league.

There's probably a few different reasons to why but one thing that the 3 i've listed above all have in common is that they have image-based environments. So thats probably one of the top reasons why they have superior REPLs.