TE
TechEcho
Home24h TopNewestBestAskShowJobs
GitHubTwitter
Home

TechEcho

A tech news platform built with Next.js, providing global tech news and discussions.

GitHubTwitter

Home

HomeNewestBestAskShowJobs

Resources

HackerNews APIOriginal HackerNewsNext.js

© 2025 TechEcho. All rights reserved.

Ask HN: Why is PLT Scheme's macro system so great?

4 pointsby buggy_codealmost 16 years ago
According to Wikipedia:<p>The most remarkable feature of these remains the macro system. It provides far more expressive power than Lisp's S-expression manipulation system, Scheme 84's hygienic extend-syntax macros, or R5RS's syntax rules. Indeed, it is fair to say that the macro system is a carefully tuned API for the compiler. Using this compiler API, programmers can add features and entire domain-specific languages in a manner that makes them completely indistinguishable from built-in language constructs. For example, both the class system and the component system are nothing but macro libraries.<p>What I don't understand is:<p>* how is this more powerful than Lisp's S-exp macro system and<p>* haven't people created object systems on top of Lisp's s-exp system?<p>Thanks!

no comments

no comments