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--- visibility: public --- # Learning **repo:** [GustavBertram/awesome-common-lisp-learning](https://github.com/GustavBertram/awesome-common-lisp-learning) **category:** [[programming-languages|Programming Languages]] --- # Awesome Common Lisp Learning [](https://awesome.re) <div align="center"> <img src="LISP_logo_mid.png"> </div> This list focuses on resources for learning Common Lisp, especially resources that I've found useful. There are other Awesome Common Lisp lists that focus on other topics: - [Libraries](https://github.com/CodyReichert/awesome-cl) - [Curated Libraries](https://github.com/vindarel/curated-[awesome](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/miscellaneous/awesome)-cl) - Forked and updated from the above list. - [Software](https://github.com/azzamsa/awesome-cl-software) Contributions are welcome. Please read the [contribution guidelines](contributing.md) for details. ## Contents - [How To Use](#how-to-use) - [Lisp Environments](#lisp-environments) - [Online References](#online-references) - [Online Books](#online-books) - [Offline Books](#offline-books) - [Online Community](#online-community) - [Library Management](#library-management) - [Common Lisp Implementations](#common-lisp-implementations) - [Credit](#credit) ## How To Use 1. Get a Lisp environment. 2. Bookmark the [The Common Lisp Hyperspec](http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/common-lisp.html). 3. Download and work through a Lisp book of an appropriate level. Type the examples and play with the code. Feel free to switch books and try a different one. 4. Try out [Exercism](https://exercism.org/tracks/common-lisp). 5. If you get stuck, find an online community and [ask smart questions](http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html). 6. Learn about [Quicklisp](https://www.quicklisp.org/beta/). 7. At some point, read your Lisp implementation's manual. ## Lisp Environments You can run a Lisp implementation directly, but an editing environment makes the experience easier. - Prepackaged environments - [Portacle](https://shinmera.[github](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/development-environment/github).io/portacle/) - A portable and multiplatform [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) environment. It ships a slightly customized [Emacs](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/editors/emacs) with SLIME, SBCL (a popular Common Lisp implementation), Quicklisp and Git. No installation needed, so it's a very quick and easy way to get going. - [Lispbox](https://common-lisp.net/project/lispbox/) - An IDE (Emacs + SLIME), [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) implementation (Clozure Common Lisp) and library manager (Quicklisp), pre-packaged as archives for [Windows](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/platforms/windows), macOS and [Linux](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/platforms/linux). Descendant of "Lisp in a Box" [mentioned](http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/lather-rinse-repeat-a-tour-of-the-repl.html) in Practical [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp). - [Lispworks Personal Edition](http://www.lispworks.com/downloads/) - A non-[Emacs](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/editors/emacs) based IDE for LispWorks Lisp, with some restrictions. - [Allegro Common Lisp](https://franz.com/products/allegrocl/) - Has a free [Express Edition](https://franz.com/downloads/clp/survey) IDE, and [training videos on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN36UrxtyNBJPaG0kmBJNRw). - For advanced users - [Articulate Common Lisp](http://articulate-lisp.com) - A HOWTO for putting together a Lisp environment, and has information on [useful libraries](http://articulate-lisp.com/project/abcs.html) and how to [structure projects](http://articulate-lisp.com/project/new-project.html). - If you're an experienced [Emacs](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/) user, you can just install [SLIME](https://common-lisp.net/project/slime/) and a [supported [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) implementation](https://common-lisp.net/project/slime/doc/html/Platforms.html#Platforms). See the [SLIME manual](https://common-lisp.net/project/slime/doc/html/) for more details. - The [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Cookbook has more information about [installing an implementation](https://lispcookbook.[github](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/development-environment/github).io/cl-cookbook/getting-started.html) using an implementation manager like [Roswell](https://github.com/roswell/roswell/wiki), or on [Docker](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/back-end-development/docker). ## Online References - [The [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Hyperspec (CLHS)](http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/common-lisp.html) - *The* language reference document for Common Lisp. Bookmark it now. - [Chapter 7](http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/07_.htm) - Covers the [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Object System (CLOS). - [The ANSI [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Standard Draft](http://cberr.us/tech_writings/notes/common_lisp_standard_draft.html) - The last draft version of the ANSI INCITS 226-1994 (previously ANSI X3.226-1994) standard. - The draft is free, the standard isn't. - It's pretty much the same as the official standard, and some people prefer it to the CLHS. - [The [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Cookbook](http://lispcookbook.[github](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/development-environment/github).io/cl-cookbook/) - A list of useful Lisp recipes. Also contains a list of other online sources of CL information. - [Common Lisp the Language (2nd Edition) by Guy L. Steele](https://www.cs.cmu.edu/Groups/AI/html/cltl/cltl2.html) - A description of the [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) language from just before it was standardized by ANSI. Don't use it as a reference. - [Cliki on CLtL2](https://cliki.net/Getting+Started) - Claims it has more useful descriptions of [LOOP](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/ai-repository/ai/html/cltl/clm/node235.html#SECTION003000000000000000000) and [FORMAT](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/ai-repository/ai/html/cltl/clm/node200.html) than the CLHS does. - [Stack Overflow on CLtL2](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/108537/what-are-the-main-differences-between-cltl2-and-ansi-cl) - Some recommend using CLtL2 for insight and [inspiration](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/front-end-development/inspiration), but to use the CLHS when programming. - [A list of differences between CLtL2 and the ANSI [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) specification.](http://linuxfinances.info/info/commonlisp.html#AEN9679) - [Chapter 28](https://www.cs.cmu.edu/Groups/AI/html/cltl/clm/node260.html#SECTION003200000000000000000) - Covers the [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Object System. ## Online Books These books that are freely accessible online, arranged roughly in order from basic to advanced: - [Common Lisp: A Gentle Introduction to Symbolic Computation by David S. Touretzky](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/LispBook/) - a good introduction for people new to programming. Contains code for really useful utilities like [DTRACE](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Lisp/dtrace/) and [SDRAW](http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Lisp/sdraw/). - [Common Lisp: An interactive approach by Stuart C. Shapiro](https://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~shapiro/Commonlisp/) - A textbook that teaches mainly through the use of exercises. - [Practical [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) by Peter Seibel](http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/) - A great introduction for experienced programmers, and tries to highlight from the very beginning what makes CL different to other languages. - [Common Lisp Koans](https://github.com/google/lisp-koans) - Not exactly a book, but a set of koans to help you learn the language. - [On Lisp by Paul Graham](http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html) - A great book for intermediately experienced Lispers. - [Let Over Lambda by Doug Hoyte](https://letoverlambda.com) - An advanced book on Lisp Macros. - The first six chapters are available online. - [Comments on Let Over Lambda](https://www.reddit.com/r/lisp/comments/3actsc/let_over_lambda/) - Several people recommend that you be comfortable with On Lisp before reading this book, and that the start is slow. - [The chapter on closures](https://letoverlambda.com/index.cl/guest/chap2.html) - Has several non-trivial examples, and demonstrates the power of this feature. - [Paradigms of [Artificial Intelligence](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/theory/artificial-intelligence) Programming by Peter Norvig](https://github.com/norvig/paip-lisp) - Has many interesting applications of Lisp, but is no longer a good reference for AI. ## Offline Books These are books that you'll have to buy, or borrow from a library. - [Land of Lisp by Conrad Barski, MD](http://landoflisp.com) - A fun introduction to Lisp that uses comics and has you writing games. - Available as an [ebook](https://www.nostarch.com/lisp.htm). - A couple of the LOOP macros are written `for x for y...` which you can change to `for x from 0 for y...` to make them work in SBCL. - Has an [errata page](http://landoflisp.com/errata.html). - Most of the book is entertaining and fairly easy, but gets hairy from about Chapter 18. It doesn't feel like later chapters introduce much, so I recommend switching to a different book at that point. - The Web server example in Ch 13, 19 and 20 will only work on CLISP, and needs the addition of HTTP response headers to render the HTML properly. - [ANSI [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) by Paul Graham](http://www.paulgraham.com/acl.html) - Good as a reference, covers CLOS, and has several example program implementations. - Plaintext versions of [Chapter 1](http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/paulgraham/acl1.txt) and [Chapter 2](http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/paulgraham/acl2.txt) are available online. - [Common Lisp Recipes by Edmund Weitz](http://weitz.de/cl-recipes/) - A great set of [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) patterns. - [Object-Oriented Programming in [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) by Sonya E. Keene](https://www.amazon.com/Object-Oriented-Programming-COMMON-LISP-Programmers/dp/0201175894) - An in-depth description of the CLOS, and shows how to use it with example applications. - [The Art of the Metaobject Protocol by Gregor Kiczales, Jim des Rivieres, and Daniel G. Bobrow](https://www.amazon.com/Art-Metaobject-Protocol-Gregor-Kiczales/dp/0262610744/) - Describes the CLOS Metaobject Protocol (MOP). - [Chapters 5 and 6 (available online)](http://metamodular.com/CLOS-MOP/) - The specification of a metaobject protocol extension to CLOS, by Robert Strandh. - Superseded by the [modern public domain CLOS MOP specification](https://clos-mop.hexstreamsoft.com/) by Jean-Philippe Paradis ([Hexstream](https://github.com/Hexstream)). - [Adam Tornhill on AMOP](http://www.adamtornhill.com/reviews/amop.htm) - Recommends reading Practical [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp), then Object-Oriented Programming in Common Lisp, and then AMOP. ## Online Community - The [Cliki](http://cliki.net) - The [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Wiki. A great resource for all things CL. Has a great [Getting Started](http://cliki.net/Getting+Started) page and an extensive list of [Lisp books](http://cliki.net/Lisp%20books). - The #clschool, #lisp, #ccl, #sbcl and [other rooms](https://www.cliki.net/IRC) on the [Libera.Chat](https://libera.chat/) network are great places for learning about [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp). ([Freenode should be avoided.](https://gist.[github](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/development-environment/github).com/joepie91/df80d8d36cd9d1bde46ba018af497409)) - [Lisp Subreddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/lisp/) - An active community, and has loads of useful links and reference documents in the sidebar. - [Common Lisp Subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Common_Lisp) - The Subreddit for [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp). - [Exercism's [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) track](https://exercism.org/tracks/common-lisp) - An excellent way to learn the language through practice, have your code reviewed, and to discuss solutions with other people. - [Lisp Discord server](https://discord.gg/7tSq5EaA6Z) - Is a Discord for Lisp. Has a channel dedicated to [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) and will happily answer questions. ## Library Management These aren't libraries, but can help you find and install other libraries. - [Quicklisp](https://www.quicklisp.org/beta) - A package management platform for Lisp libraries. - [Quickdocs](http://quickdocs.org) - Documentation for projects in Quicklisp. - [State of the [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) Ecosystem, 2015](http://borretti.me/article/common-lisp-sotu-2015) - Article about what libraries you should use, and why. - [Articulate Common Lisp](http://articulate-lisp.com/project/abcs.html) - Lists some useful libraries. ## Common Lisp Implementations This section lists some common CL implementations and their manuals in alphabetical order. Unless otherwise noted, these are free software implementations. See also the Cliki's list of [free software Common Lisp Implementations](https://www.cliki.net/Common%20Lisp%20implementation). - [Allegro [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (ACL)](https://franz.com/products/allegrocl/) - Commercial, but has a free [Express Edition](https://franz.com/downloads/clp/survey). - [ACL manual](https://franz.com/support/documentation/) - [Training videos on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN36UrxtyNBJPaG0kmBJNRw) - [CLISP](https://clisp.sourceforge.io) - [CLISP Manual](https://clisp.sourceforge.io/impnotes.html) - [Clozure [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (CCL)](https://ccl.clozure.com) - [CCL manual](https://ccl.clozure.com/manual/) - [Carnegie Mellon University [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (CMUCL)](https://www.cons.org/cmucl/) - [CMUCL manual and other useful information](https://www.cons.org/cmucl/doc/index.html) - [Embeddable [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (ECL)](https://common-lisp.net/project/ecl/) - [ECL manual](https://common-lisp.net/project/ecl/static/manual/) - [LispWorks](http://www.lispworks.com/products/index.html) - Commercial, but as mentioned previously, has a [Personal Edition](http://www.lispworks.com/downloads/index.html) with minor limitations. - [LispWorks manual](http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/index.html) - [Steel Bank [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (SBCL)](http://www.sbcl.org) - My personal favorite. - [SBCL manual](http://www.sbcl.org/manual/index.html) - [Scieneer [Common Lisp](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/programming-languages/common-lisp) (SCL)](http://web.archive.org/web/20171014210404/http://www.scieneer.com/scl/) - A commercial [Linux](/@harrisonqian/awesome/wiki/platforms/linux) and Unix implementation, but has an unrestricted free evaluation and non-commercial use version. - [SCL manual](http://web.archive.org/web/20171014210404/http://www.scieneer.com/scl/doc/) ## Credit I got a lot of the information from [Rainer Joswig's Stack Overflow answer on learning Common Lisp](https://stackoverflow.com/a/7224914/1005039), and from the now-defunct Stack Overflow Documents site. The [Cliki's Getting Started](https://cliki.net/Getting%20Started) page was also invaluable.