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Lisp Koans is a self-guided learning path for Common Lisp that teaches the language’s idioms through a series of failing tests you progressively make pass. Each koan introduces a concept—symbols, lists, macros, multiple dispatch, reader syntax—then asks you to fill in the blanks and run the suite again. The feedback loop is intentionally tight: fail, reflect, fix, and rerun until the tests become a form of living documentation. Because koans are organized from fundamentals to metaprogramming, learners internalize not just syntax but also Lisp’s philosophy of code-as-data. The exercise format makes it ideal for workshops, katas, or leveling up engineers who have never touched a Lisp before. It’s minimal on infrastructure and maximal on discovery, encouraging use of a REPL and inspector while you solve each puzzle.
Features
- Failing tests that guide learning from basics to macros
- Incremental difficulty with immediate REPL-friendly feedback
- Coverage of core Common Lisp types, functions, and control flow
- Introductions to macros, reader forms, and multiple dispatch
- Self-contained exercises suited for workshops or katas
- Acts as living documentation as you complete each koan
Project Samples
