[HN Gopher] Show HN: Dak - a Lisp-like language that transpiles ...
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       Show HN: Dak - a Lisp-like language that transpiles to JavaScript
        
       Hi HN, author here. Happy to answer any questions.  I had an itch
       to make a lisp like language that was a thin layer on top
       JavaScript. Something that could leverage the thriving ecosystem
       that exists around JavaScript. It's brittle, hot off the oven.
       Besides being a fan of parenthesis, I think macros fill in a gap
       that the JavaScript ecosystem today fills in with one-off
       compilers, bundler plugins and such. Macros can't do everything,
       but for example I think they have the potential to enable things
       like JSX, Solid and Svelte style libraries.  Take the tour to get a
       feel for what it can do and play with the live code in your
       browser!
        
       Author : daakus
       Score  : 31 points
       Date   : 2023-02-27 13:08 UTC (1 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.daklang.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.daklang.com)
        
       | inglor wrote:
       | Maybe dumb question since I only have experience with a few lisps
       | (Common Lisp, clojure and scheme) but why is this "lisp like" and
       | not a "proper" lisp?
       | 
       | It looks like a lisp for me with its "code is data" (homoiconic)
       | bit and s expressions.
        
         | shaftoe444 wrote:
         | Describing stuff as Lisp-like is a good way to sidestep
         | arguments about "proper" Lisp.
         | 
         | What even is a proper Lisp? http://steve-
         | yegge.blogspot.com/2006/04/lisp-is-not-acceptab...
        
       | orestis wrote:
       | Interesting, in the CLJS space we recently got two new libraries
       | in this space:
       | 
       | https://github.com/squint-cljs/squint Which is a thin layer on
       | top of JS
       | 
       | https://github.com/squint-cljs/cherry Which is closer to CLJS
       | semantics and data structures but compiles to .mjs files without
       | any advanced optimizations etc.
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | hackrnusr wrote:
       | Looks interesting. I hope to start using an s-expression based
       | version of javascript after I get more familiar with the latter.
       | 
       | Maybe you also want to consider comparing Dak to other attempts
       | in this direction in order to help generate more interest in your
       | work:
       | 
       | https://github.com/anko/eslisp/blob/master/doc/comparison-to...
        
         | daakus wrote:
         | Thanks for the feedback. I'll add some notes comparing it with
         | other attempts like you suggested.
        
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       (page generated 2023-02-28 23:00 UTC)