Config & Markup

Emacs Lisp

Emacs Lisp is a dialect of the Lisp programming language used as the primary extension and scripting language for the GNU Emacs text editor. It provides a powerful environment for customizing Emacs, writing new commands, and creating complex editing modes. The language is dynamically scoped, interpreted, and tightly integrated with Emacs's core functionality, allowing deep control over the editor's behavior.

Also known as: elisp, Emacs Lisp, Emacs-Lisp, GNU Emacs Lisp, EL

🧊Why learn Emacs Lisp?

Developers should learn Emacs Lisp if they use GNU Emacs extensively and want to customize their workflow, automate repetitive tasks, or contribute to Emacs packages. It is essential for creating or modifying major modes (e.g., for programming languages), minor modes, and custom keybindings, making it ideal for power users seeking a tailored editing environment. Knowledge of Emacs Lisp is also valuable for maintaining legacy Emacs configurations or developing plugins for the Emacs ecosystem.

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Learning Resources

GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual

An Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp

Emacs Lisp Tutorial on YouTube by System Crafters

Mastering Emacs book (includes Emacs Lisp sections)

Emacs Lisp Guide on EmacsWiki

Related Tools

Gnu Emacs Lisp Text Editors Scripting Configuration Management

Alternatives to Emacs Lisp

Vimscript Lua Python

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