LISP vs WolframLang

LISP in WolframLang

WolframLang has all the characteristics of LISP:

• Identifiers are Symbols
• Everything is a Expression
• A expression is either a Atomic Expression (number, string, symbol) or a list.
• Purely nested syntax
• Predominantly functional programing
• Reader macro (meta-expression) (lisp [] ' ` , # ,@ . vs WolframLang syntax shortcuts )
• Lisp macros (WolframLang symbolic Pattern Matching)

APL in WolframLang

APL's contribution to WolframLang are:

• All APL's functions are in WolframLang.
• Function automatically map to array, when input is array (matrix or list).

Syntax

• ELisp: Comment
• WolframLang: Comment

Expression Grouping

• ELisp: Block of Expression
• WolframLang: CompoundExpression and Semicolon

Arithmetic

• ELisp: Arithmetic
• WolframLang: Arithmetic Basics

Boolean, Equality Test

• ELisp: Boolean (true false nil)
• WolframLang: True, False (boolean)

Variable and Assignment

• ELisp: Variable
• WolframLang: Set, SetDelayed
• WolframLang: Local Variable

Flow Control

• ELisp: If then else (Conditional)
• WolframLang: If Then Else (Conditionals, Branching)
• WolframLang: Which, Switch

Loop, Iteration

• ELisp: Loop
• ELisp: Sequence Iteration

• WolframLang: Loop
• WolframLang: Map Function to List

Data Structure

• ELisp: List
• ELisp: Vector
• ELisp: Association List
• ELisp: Hash Table

• WolframLang: List
• WolframLang: Association (Key Value List)

Function

• ELisp: Define Function
• WolframLang: Define Function
• WolframLang: Set, SetDelayed

Input Output

• ELisp: Print, Output
• WolframLang: Print

Package, Namespace, Loading

• ELisp: provide, require, features
• ELisp: load, load-file, autoload
• WolframLang: Load a Package or File

Reader Macro, Evaluation Control