The read-eval-print loop

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Lecture 1 - Page 6 : 49

Programming Paradigms
Introduction to Functional Programming in Scheme

The read-eval-print loop - REPL

On this page we will explain the idea and virtues of the so-called read-eval-print loop of Lisp and Scheme systems.

The 'read-eval-print loop' allows you to interact with a Scheme system in terms of evaluation of individual expressions

Some authors talk about a REPL - Read Eval Print Loop.

1> (+ 4 (* 5 6))
34

2> (define x 6)

3> (+ (* 5 x x) (* 4 x) 3)
207

4> (/ 21 5)
21/5

5> (/ 21.0 5)
4.2

6> (define (fak n) (if (= n 0) 1 (* n (fak (- n 1)))))

7> (fak 50)
30414093201713378043612608166064768844377641568960512000000000000

A sample session with Scheme using a read eval print loop.

Testing functional programs