Emacs Is a Lisp Runtime in C, Not an Editor
9 hours ago
- #lisp
- #emacs
- #programming-history
- Emacs is more than a code editor; it embodies a design philosophy and system software trade-offs.
- Users often return to Emacs due to its customizable experience and unique tools like OrgMode and Magit.
- Emacs originated from TECO macros, evolving into a programmable editor with a Lisp interpreter for extensibility.
- GNU Emacs adopted Emacs Lisp, embedding a Lisp interpreter in C to run on Unix systems.
- The 'Worse is Better' philosophy explains why C dominated over Lisp in software development.
- Greenspun's Tenth Rule highlights how complex software often ends up implementing a Lisp-like system.
- Neovim and VSCode follow a similar pattern by embedding interpreters (LuaJIT and JavaScript/V8) for extensibility.
- Future exploration includes building a tiny Emacs Lisp interpreter in C with basic elements.