Clojure for Domain-specific Languages

Learn how to use Clojure language with examples and develop domain-specific languages on the go

Overview

• Explore DSL concepts from existing Clojure DSLs and libraries
• Bring Clojure into your Java applications as Clojure can be hosted on a Java platform
• A tutorial-based guide to develop custom domain-specific languages

In Detail

Clojure is a very new and rapidly growing language that runs on top of the JVM. The language being hosted on the Java platform allows for Clojure applications to use existing Java components. Although there are objects in Clojure, the language is not object oriented.

“Clojure for Domain-specific Languages” is an example-oriented guide to building custom languages. Many of the core components of Clojure are covered to help you understand your options when making a domain-specific language. By the end of this book, you should be able to make an internal DSL. Starting with a comparison of existing DSLs, this book will move on to guide you through general programming, Clojure editing, and project management. The chapters after that are code oriented.

“Clojure for Domain-specific Languages” tries to expose you to as much Clojure code as possible. Many of the examples are executed in a Read-Evaluate-Print-Loop environment, so the reader can also follow along on their own machine. This book uses Leiningen, but no prior knowledge of it is required.

“Clojure for Domain-Specific Languages” aims to make you familiar with the Clojure language and help you learn the tools to make your own language.

What you will learn from this book

• Understand the pros and cons of a domain-specific language
• Learn general programming design concepts
• Know the benefits of a Lisp-based syntax
• Edit Clojure files in Emacs
• Learn to operate a Read-Evaluate-Loop session from within Emacs
• Build Clojure projects with Leiningen
• Manipulate and make polymorphic objects in a non-object-oriented language
• Create a Twitter domain-specific language to understand Clojure, its Java, and Lisp foundation closely
• Use your Clojure applications inside of a Java project

Approach

An example-oriented approach to develop custom domain-specific languages.

Who this book is written for

If you’ve already developed a few Clojure applications and wish to expand your knowledge on Clojure or domain-specific languages in general, then this book is for you. If you’re an absolute Clojure beginner, then you may only find the detailed examples of the core Clojure components of value. If you’ve developed DSLs in other languages, this Lisp and Java-based book might surprise you with the power of Clojure.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: An Overview of Domain-Specific Languages with Clojure
Chapter 2: Design Concepts with Clojure
Chapter 3: Clojure Editing and Project Creation
Chapter 4: Features, Functions, and Macros
Chapter 5: Collections and Sequencing
Chapter 6: Assignment and Concurrency
Chapter 7: Flow Control, Error Handling, and Math
Chapter 8: Methods for Abstraction
Chapter 9: An Example Twitter DSL
Chapter 10: Unit Testing
Chapter 11: Clojure DSLs inside Java