Emacs Lisp vs Python

The Lisp that turns your text editor into an OS, whether you wanted one or not meets the swiss army knife of programming languages. Here's our take.

Emacs Lisp

Nice Pick

The Lisp that turns your text editor into an OS, whether you wanted one or not.

Pros

• Tight integration with Emacs allows for deep editor customization
• Dynamic scoping and macros enable powerful, expressive code
• Mature ecosystem with extensive libraries for text processing

Cons

• Dynamic scoping can lead to confusing bugs and debugging headaches
• Steep learning curve for those new to Lisp or Emacs's idiosyncrasies

Python

The Swiss Army knife of programming languages. It'll do anything, but sometimes you'll wish it did it faster.

Pros

• Extensive standard library and third-party packages
• Clean, readable syntax that's easy to learn
• Strong community support and documentation
• Versatile for web, data science, automation, and more

Cons

• Slower execution speed compared to compiled languages
• Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) limits true parallelism

The Verdict

Use Emacs Lisp if: You want tight integration with emacs allows for deep editor customization and can live with dynamic scoping can lead to confusing bugs and debugging headaches.

Use Python if: You prioritize extensive standard library and third-party packages over what Emacs Lisp offers.

The Bottom Line

Emacs Lisp wins

The Lisp that turns your text editor into an OS, whether you wanted one or not.