| name | lisp-dev |
| description | Guidelines and documentation for developing, testing, and running Common Lisp code non-interactively using SBCL. |
Lisp Development Skill
This skill contains instructions and guidelines for running Common Lisp code, executing test suites, and generating documentation using Steel Bank Common Lisp (SBCL) in a non-interactive/batch environment.
Running SBCL Non-Interactively
When running Lisp scripts, tests, or builds in automated systems (like CI/CD pipelines, pre-commit hooks, or background tasks), you must prevent SBCL from dropping into the interactive debugger when an unhandled error occurs.
Preventing Interactive Debugger Hangs
By default, SBCL enters an interactive debugger prompt (* or db>) upon encountering an error, waiting for user input. This causes background tasks and automated runners to hang.
To disable the debugger and force SBCL to print a backtrace and exit immediately with a non-zero code on error, use the --disable-debugger option:
sbcl --disable-debugger \
--load file.lisp \
--eval '(form)' \
--quit
Key SBCL Flags:
--disable-debugger: Disables the interactive debugger. If an error occurs, a backtrace is printed and SBCL exits with code 1.--non-interactive: (SBCL 2.0+) Sets up SBCL to run in a non-interactive batch mode, though --disable-debugger is still needed to guarantee exits on all errors.--noinform: Suppresses the startup banner message.--load <file>: Loads a Lisp file before starting the REPL or evaluating eval forms.--eval <form>: Evaluates a Lisp s-expression form.--quit: Exits SBCL when all options and eval forms have been processed.
Workspace Workflows
1. Running the Test Suite
The repository includes a script to run the transpiler tests locally.
To run tests:
./example/03_py_meta/run-tests.sh
To run a subset of tests using tags, or customize test execution, run SBCL directly:
sbcl --disable-debugger \
--eval "(push \"/home/kiel/stage/cl-cl-generator/example/03_py_meta/\" asdf:*central-registry*)" \
--load "/home/kiel/stage/cl-cl-generator/example/03_py_meta/transpiler-tests.lisp" \
--eval "(cl-py-generator/tests::run-transpiler-tests :tags '(:core))" \
--quit
Coding Style & Standards
- Keep s-expression indentation consistent with existing files.
- Prefer formatting via
git lisp-format (see tools/pre-commit).
- Always run the test suite before committing or submitting a PR.
