How do I set up Snooze with Hunchentoot?

Use the make-hunchentoot-app function to create a dispatch handler, then add it to hunchentoot:*dispatch-table* and start the server, as shown in the 'Other backends' section of the README.

Snooze vs Caveman for Common Lisp web apps?

Snooze is better for RESTful APIs with pure CLOS integration and no extra syntax, while Caveman offers a more batteries-included framework with templating and conventions. Choose based on whether you want minimalism or a fuller stack.

How to handle JSON requests in Snooze routes?

Define a route with content-type 'application/json' and decode the payload using a library like cl-json, as demonstrated in the tutorial's POST route for lispdoc that checks for malformed JSON.

Can Snooze generate URLs for internal linking?

Yes, use defgenpath to create path generator functions that output URIs matching your route definitions, which is useful for HTML links or API responses, illustrated in the URI generation section.

How to customize error pages in Snooze?

Implement methods on explain-condition for specific resources and content-types to provide detailed error explanations, and adjust *catch-errors* and *catch-http-conditions* variables, as covered in the controlling errors tutorial.

Is Snooze good for large-scale applications?

It can scale with careful design due to its flexibility, but the lack of built-in features and beta status might require more custom work and risk compared to mature frameworks like Clack or Restas.

How to add middleware to a Snooze application?

Since Snooze is backend-agnostic, integrate middleware through the web server adapter (e.g., using Clack's middleware layers) or implement CLOS :around methods on routes for request/response processing.

Snooze — RESTful URL Router for Lisp

What is Snooze?

Snooze is a URL router for Common Lisp specifically designed for building RESTful web services. It maps REST concepts directly to Common Lisp Object System (CLOS) constructs, allowing developers to define routes as CLOS methods and handle HTTP conditions as Lisp conditions. This approach eliminates the need for custom routing syntax or regular expressions, keeping development within the Common Lisp ecosystem.

Target Audience

Common Lisp developers building RESTful web services or APIs who want to leverage CLOS and standard Lisp tooling. It is particularly suited for those who prefer a tight integration between HTTP/REST semantics and Common Lisp's native features.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Snooze because it eliminates the need to learn a custom DSL or regex-based routing by using standard CLOS methods for route definitions. Its unique selling point is the deep integration with CLOS, enabling features like automatic URI generation, content-type dispatch via CLOS specializers, and seamless error handling using Lisp conditions.

Common Lisp RESTful web development

Use Cases

Best For

Building RESTful web services in Common Lisp with a CLOS-centric architecture.
Developing web APIs where routes need to be defined as standard Lisp functions without extra syntax.
Projects requiring automatic URI generation that matches route definitions for linking within the application.
Applications that need content-type negotiation and dispatch based on HTTP Accept and Content-Type headers.
Implementing custom error handling for HTTP conditions using Lisp's condition system.
Integrating with various Common Lisp web servers (e.g., Hunchentoot, Clack) via backend-agnostic adapters.

Not Ideal For

Projects not using Common Lisp or teams unfamiliar with CLOS concepts
Applications requiring built-in features like sessions, authentication, or database ORM out of the box
Teams preferring regex-based or DSL routing over native Lisp function definitions
Real-time or WebSocket-heavy applications, as Snooze focuses on RESTful routing without inherent support for other protocols

Pros & Cons

Pros

Native CLOS Integration

Maps REST resources to CLOS generic functions and HTTP verbs to method specializers, allowing routes to be traced, inspected with M-., or extended using standard Lisp tools, as highlighted in the rationale.

No Custom Syntax

Uses standard Lisp function definitions for routes without requiring regex or a domain-specific language, keeping development within familiar Lisp workflows, as emphasized in the README's design philosophy.

Automatic URI Generation

Provides path generator functions via defgenpath that create URIs perfectly matching route definitions, useful for internal linking, as demonstrated in the tutorial with lispdoc-path.

Content-Type Dispatch

Routes based on HTTP Accept and Content-Type headers via CLOS specializers, enabling clean handling of different media types, shown in examples with :text/* and :application/json.

Backend Agnosticism

Works with any Common Lisp web server through adapter functions like make-clack-app and make-hunchentoot-app, offering flexibility in server choice, as noted in the backend agnostic section.

Cons

Beta Stability Risks

The README explicitly states it's 'kinda BETA' with a disclaimer of warranty, indicating potential instability, breaking changes, or limited support for production use.

Configuration Overhead

Advanced URI manipulation requires implementing methods like uri-to-arguments and arguments-to-uri, adding complexity compared to simpler routing systems that handle conversions automatically.

Minimalist Feature Set

Focuses solely on routing without built-in middleware, templating, or database integration, necessitating additional libraries and setup for full-featured web applications.

Steep Learning Curve

Requires deep understanding of CLOS and Lisp conditions to leverage fully, which may be challenging for developers accustomed to more conventional web frameworks or new to Common Lisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Snooze?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Building RESTful web services in Common Lisp with a CLOS-centric architecture.
Developing web APIs where routes need to be defined as standard Lisp functions without extra syntax.
Projects requiring automatic URI generation that matches route definitions for linking within the application.
Applications that need content-type negotiation and dispatch based on HTTP Accept and Content-Type headers.
Implementing custom error handling for HTTP conditions using Lisp's condition system.
Integrating with various Common Lisp web servers (e.g., Hunchentoot, Clack) via backend-agnostic adapters.

Not Ideal For

Projects not using Common Lisp or teams unfamiliar with CLOS concepts
Applications requiring built-in features like sessions, authentication, or database ORM out of the box
Teams preferring regex-based or DSL routing over native Lisp function definitions
Real-time or WebSocket-heavy applications, as Snooze focuses on RESTful routing without inherent support for other protocols

Pros & Cons

Pros

Native CLOS Integration

No Custom Syntax

Automatic URI Generation

Provides path generator functions via defgenpath that create URIs perfectly matching route definitions, useful for internal linking, as demonstrated in the tutorial with lispdoc-path.

Content-Type Dispatch

Routes based on HTTP Accept and Content-Type headers via CLOS specializers, enabling clean handling of different media types, shown in examples with :text/* and :application/json.

Backend Agnosticism

Works with any Common Lisp web server through adapter functions like make-clack-app and make-hunchentoot-app, offering flexibility in server choice, as noted in the backend agnostic section.

Cons

Beta Stability Risks

The README explicitly states it's 'kinda BETA' with a disclaimer of warranty, indicating potential instability, breaking changes, or limited support for production use.

Configuration Overhead

Advanced URI manipulation requires implementing methods like uri-to-arguments and arguments-to-uri, adding complexity compared to simpler routing systems that handle conversions automatically.

Minimalist Feature Set

Focuses solely on routing without built-in middleware, templating, or database integration, necessitating additional libraries and setup for full-featured web applications.

Steep Learning Curve

Requires deep understanding of CLOS and Lisp conditions to leverage fully, which may be challenging for developers accustomed to more conventional web frameworks or new to Common Lisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Snooze

What is Snooze?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Snooze

What is Snooze?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?