Common Lisp Koans
An interactive learning exercise that teaches Common Lisp through progressively broken unit tests.
What is Common Lisp Koans?
Lisp Koans is an interactive learning exercise that teaches Common Lisp programming through a series of progressively broken unit tests. Based on the Ruby and Python koans methodology, it provides hands-on experience where learners fix failing assertions to understand language features. The project guides developers through Common Lisp concepts from basic to advanced levels using a test-driven approach.
Developers learning Common Lisp who prefer hands-on, interactive learning over passive reading. It's ideal for programmers familiar with test-driven development who want to explore Common Lisp's unique features.
Unlike traditional tutorials, Lisp Koans provides immediate feedback through failing tests that learners must fix, creating an engaging, discovery-based learning experience. It supports multiple Common Lisp implementations and includes specialized content for advanced topics like concurrency.
Overview
Common Lisp Koans is a language learning exercise in the same vein as the ruby koans, python koans and others. It is a port of the prior koans with some modifications to highlight lisp-specific features. Structured as ordered groups of broken unit tests, the project guides the learner progressively through many Common Lisp language features.
Use Cases
Best For
- Learning Common Lisp through hands-on practice
- Understanding test-driven development in a Lisp context
- Exploring Common Lisp's unique language features interactively
- Getting immediate feedback while learning programming concepts
- Practicing with multiple Common Lisp implementations
- Learning concurrency concepts with bordeaux-threads
Not Ideal For
- Developers seeking a quick syntax reference or cheat sheet for Common Lisp
- Teams building production applications who need ready-to-use libraries or frameworks
- Windows users wanting automated test reruns, as meditate scripts are Linux/macOS only
Pros & Cons
Pros
Koans are organized from basic to advanced concepts, as shown in the grouped lessons and 198 koans listed, ensuring a gradual and logical learning path.
Based on the red-green-refactor cycle, learners fix failing assertions like in the example 'fill-in-the-blanks', providing hands-on experience with TDD principles quoted from Ruby Koans.
Works with various Common Lisp implementations including SBCL, CCL, and CLISP, with specific command-line examples provided in the README for each.
Includes meditate scripts for Linux and macOS that automatically rerun tests on file changes, offering immediate feedback during learning sessions.
Cons
The meditate scripts only work on Linux and macOS, requiring fswatch on macOS and lacking Windows support, which hinders seamless learning for some users.
The threads unit requires Quicklisp to be installed and loaded, adding an extra setup step that isn't automatically handled, as admitted in the README's notes.
Running koans involves specific, non-uniform commands for different Lisp implementations (e.g., 'sbcl --script' vs 'ccl -n'), which can be confusing and error-prone for newcomers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming by Peter NorvigLisp code for the textbook "Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming"
On Lisp by Paul GrahamA great book for intermediately experienced Lispers
Let Over Lambda by Doug HoyteAn advanced book on Lisp Macros
Common Lisp: An interactive approach by Stuart C. ShapiroA textbook that teaches mainly through the use of exercises
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