Code Reference

Core Functions

Name	Description	Example
quote	returns a literal of its parameter	(quote Hello) => Hello
atom	returns t if the parameter is atomic (not a list)	(atom '(a b c d)) => ()
eq	returns t if both parameters are equal	(eq 'hi 'hi) => t
car	returns the head of the list	(car '(a b c d)) => a
cdr	returns the tail of the list	(cdr '(a b c d)) => (b c d)
cons	prepends the first parameter to the second	(cons 'w '(x y z)) => (w x y z)
cond	returns first true statement	(cond ('() 'no) ('t 'yes)) => yes
lambda	returns a lambda function	((lambda (x) (+ x 1)) 2) => 3
defun	defines a function	(defun add1 (x) (+ x 1)) (add1 5) => 6
set	defines a constant	(set apple 'sauce) (print apple) => sauce
setq	defines a quoted constant	(setq fancy pants) (print fancy) => pants
print	prints a value	(print "Hello, world!") => Hello, World!
read	gets user input and prints parameter	(read "What's your name? ")
import	imports an eLispsis file (path is relative to main.js)	(import library/stdlib.el)
meta	returns the result of a NodeJS statement	(print (meta "4 + 5")) => 9

Logical and Mathematical Operators

Operator	Description	Example
+	Returns the sum of the list	(+ 1 2 3 4 5) => 15
-	Returns the difference of the list	(- 50 30 10 7) => 3
*	Returns the product of the list	(* 1 2 3 4 5) => 120
/	Returns the quotient of the list	(/ 144 12 3) => 4
%	Returns the modulo of the list	(% 6 4) => 2
^	Returns the exponentiation of the list	(^ 2 2 3) => 64
&	Returns the string concatenation of the list	(& "This is a" " string") => "This is a string"
<	Returns t if the list is strictly in ascending order	(< 10 11 13) => t
>	Returns t if the list is strictly in descending order	(> 10 8) => t
<=	Returns t if the list is loosely in ascending order	(<= 10 10 12) => t
>=	Returns t if the list is loosely in descending order	(>= 14 4 4 3) => t

Ellipsis

The Ellipsis (...) operator is a special operator that allows you to execute multiple lines of unrelated code in a single expression. This allows users to define sub-functions and constants within functions/lambdas. While it would be nice to reserve this operator for the most central function of the language, it can be hard to gauge what is the most central or powerful.

Example usage:

(defun overlyComplicatedHelloWorld ()
  (... (setq hi "Hello, world!")
    (print hi)))

(overlyComplicatedHelloWorld) ;;This would simply print "Hello, world!"