code equivalences

This table showcases how to do various common tasks in a few different programming languages. Similar to Rosetta Code but may work better as a quick reference.

The currently covered languages are: Common Lisp, Guile (Scheme), Emacs Lisp, Pharo (Smalltalk), Factor, Raku, Python, SuperCollider, Lua, Bash, and Fish.

The following external pages are also useful references for these languages:

Show columns:

actionCommon LispGuile (Scheme)Emacs LispPharo (Smalltalk)FactorRakuPythonSuperColliderLuaBashFish
Nullnil

When differentiation between false and null is needed, some libraries use the symbol naming the type of the nil value (null).
#nilnilnilfNilNonenilnil(?)(?)
Booleanst nil#t #ft niltrue falset fTrue FalseTrue Falsetrue falsetrue false0 10 1
Symbol'heyo'heyo'heyo#heyoheyo

After defining a symbol with SYMBOL:, it subsequently is referred to with a bareword.
heyo(unsupported)\heyo(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
String"Foo""Foo""Foo"'Foo'"Foo""Foo""Foo""Foo""Foo""Foo""Foo"
Character#\F#\F?F

Emacs represents characters with Unicode codepoints, so this code results in 70.
$FCHAR: F"F"

Raku does not have a character type; this example is a single-character string.
"F"

Python does not have a character type; this example is a single-character string.
$F(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Unicode character (by codepoint)(code-char 10084)(integer->char 10084)10084

Emacs represents characters with Unicode codepoints. A list of codepoints can be converted to a string with concat.
Character codePoint: 1008410084

Factor represents characters with their Unicode codepoints. An array of codepoints can be converted to a string with >string.
"\c[10084]"

Raku does not have a character type; this example uses interpolation to produce a single-character string.
chr(10084)

Python does not have a character type; chr returns a single-character string.
(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Unicode character (by name)#\HEAVY_BLACK_HEART(use-modules (ice-9 unicode)) (formal-name->char "HEAVY BLACK HEART")?\N{HEAVY BLACK HEART}

Emacs represents characters as Unicode codepoints, so this code results in 10084.
(UnicodeCharacterData named: 'HEAVY BLACK HEART') character

This example requires the Unicode-Character-DataUnicode-Character-Data external library. Unicode characters can be looked up by their code point in stock Pharo using code like Character codePoint: 10084.
CHAR: heavy-black-heart

Factor represents characters as Unicode codepoints, so this code results in 10084.
"\c[heavy black heart]"

Raku does not have a character type; this example uses interpolation to produce a single-character string.
\N{HEAVY BLACK HEART}

Python does not have a character type; this example uses interpolation to produce a single-character string.
(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Ratio4/34/3(unsupported)4/34/34/3import fractions fractions.Fraction(4, 3)4/3(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
List'(1 2 3)'(1 2 3)'(1 2 3)(?)L{ 1 2 3 }

Factor supports Lisp-style linked lists, but arrays are more idiomatic.
(1, 2, 3)from collections import deque deque([1, 2, 3])List.newUsing([1, 2, 3])(unsupported)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Array#(1 2 3)#(1 2 3)[1 2 3]#(1 2 3){ 1 2 3 }[1, 2, 3][1, 2, 3]

Python refers to its arrays as lists, however they are not traditional linked lists a la Lisp.
[1, 2, 3]{1, 2, 3}

Lua uses tables as both arrays and as hashtables.
(?)1 2 3
Comment; Do something.; Do something.; Do something."Do something."! Do something.# Do something.# Do something.// Do something.-- Do something.# Do something.# Do something.
Multi-line comment#| hello line 1 hello line 2 |##! hello line 1 hello line 2 !#(unsupported)"hello line 1 hello line 2"USE: multiline /* hello line 1 hello line 2 */

Factor supports a syntax that resembles multi-line comments, but single line comments (with !) are much more common.
#`( hello line 1 hello line 2 )"""hello line 1 hello line 2"""/* hello line 1 hello line 2 */--[[ hello line 1 hello line 2 ]](unsupported)(unsupported)
Math(* (+ 1 3) 4)(* (+ 1 3) 4)(* (+ 1 3) 4)1 + 3 * 4.1 3 + 4 *(1 + 3) * 4;(1 + 3) * 41 + 3 * 4(1 + 3) * 4$(((1 + 3) * 4))math '(1 + 3) * 4'
Define variable(defvar foo)(define foo)(defvar foo)| foo |SYMBOL: fooour $foo;global foo~foo;local foofoo=set foo
Define variable with initial value(defparameter foo 3)(define foo 3)(defvar foo 3)| foo | foo := 3.SYMBOL: foo 3 foo setour $foo = 3;global foo foo = 3~foo = 3;local foo = 3foo=3set foo 3
Define variable with initial value, not overwriting existing value(defvar foo 3)(?)(defvar foo 3)(unsupported)

Pharo does not allow referencing undefined variables, and all defined variables default to nil.
SYMBOL: foo foo [ 3 ] initialize(unsupported)

Raku has the //= operator, which sets a variable's value only if it is not already set, but this doesn't seem to work when combined with variable declarations with my or our.
(?)~foo = ~foo ? 3;

Variables default to nil, and the ? operator returns the first non-nil value.
(?)(?)(?)
Anonymous function (lambda)(lambda (x y) (+ x y))(lambda (x y) (+ x y))(lambda (x y) (+ x y))[ :x :y | x + y ][ + ]sub ($x, $y) { $x + $y }lambda x, y: x + y{ | x y | x + y; }function (x, y) x + y end(unsupported)(unsupported)
Define function(defun plus-3 (x) (+ x 3))(define (plus-3 x) (+ x 3))(defun plus-3 (x) (+ x 3))| plus_3 | plus_3 := [ :x | x + 3 ]

Typically, functions are defined as methods in a class rather than as blocks (anonymous functions) as shown here.
: plus-3 ( x -- y ) 3 + ;sub plus-3($x) { return $x + 3; }def plus_3(x): return x + 3~plus_3 = { | x | x + 3; };function plus_3(x) x + 3 endplus_3() { echo $(($1 + 3)); }function plus_3; math $x + 3; end
Call function with arguments(funcall my-func 1 2)(my-func 1 2)(funcall my-func 1 2)my_func value: 1 value: 2.1 2 my-funcmy-func(1, 2)my_func(1, 2)my_func.value(1, 2);my_func(1, 2)my_func 1 2my_func 1 2
Print (no newline)(princ "Hello.")(display "Hello.")(message "Hello.")Transcript show: 'Hello.'."Hello." write"Hello.".print;print("Hello.", end="")"Hello.".post;(?)echo -n "Hello."echo -n "Hello."
Print (with newline)(format t "~A~%" "Hello.")(display "Hello.") (newline)(?)Transcript show: 'Hello.'; cr."Hello." print"Hello.".say;print("Hello.")"Hello.".postln;print("Hello.")echo "Hello."echo "Hello."
If statement(if some-test then-do-this else-this)(if some-test then-do-this else-this)(if some-test then-do-this else-this)(?)some-test [ then-do-this ] [ else-this ] ifif some-test { then-do-this } else { else-this }if some_test: then_do_this else: else_this(?)if some_test then then_do_this else else_this endif some_test; then then_do_this; else else_this; fiif some_test; then_do_this; else; else_this; end
Get object's string representation(format "~S" obj)(?)(format "%s" obj)(?)"%u" sprintf$obj.raku(?)obj.cs;(?)(?)(?)
Print object's string representation(print obj)(?)(message (format "%s" obj))Transcript show: obj.obj .$obj.raku.sayprint(obj)obj.postcs;print(obj)

Lua's print will not print the contents of tables or other compound objects; this functionality has to be implemented by the user. For tables, it can be done with for key, value in pairs(obj) do print(key, value) end
(?)echo $obj
Read a line of text(read-line)(use-modules (ice-9 rdelim)) (read-line)(read-string "Enter some text: ")SpRequestTextDialog new openModal.readlnprompt()input()(?)require('io'); io.read()read var

bash's read should be called with a variable name to specify where to write the text into. Without it, text is read, but discarded.
read
Sequence length(length my-sequence)(length my-sequence)(length my-sequence)my_array sizemy-array length@my-array.elemslen(my_list)my_list.size#my_table${#my_list[@]}count $my_list
First sequence element(first my-list)(car my-list)(car my-list)my_array firstmy-array first@my-array.firstmy_list[0]my_list.firstmy_table[1]${my_list[0]}$my_list[1]
Second list element(second my-list)(list-ref my-list 1)(cadr my-list)my_array secondmy-array second@my-array[1]my_list[1]my_list[1]my_table[2]${my_list[2]}$my_list[2]
Last list element(car (last my-list))(car (last-pair my-list))(car (last my-list))my_array lastmy-array last@my-array.tailmy_list[-1]my_list.lastmy_table[#my_table]${my_list[-1]}$my_list[-1]
List element at index N(nth n my-list)(list-ref my-list n)(nth n my-list)my_array at: nn my-array nth@my-array[n]my_list[n]my_list[n]my_table[n]

Note that Lua tables start from index 1.
${my_list[n]}$my_list[n]

Note that Fish lists start from index 1.
List of first N elements(subseq my-list 0 n)(list-head my-list n)(subseq my-list 0 n)(?)my-array n head@my-array.head(n)my_list[:n]my_list.keep(n)(?)(?)$my_list[..$n]
List without first N elements(subseq my-list n)(list-tail my-list n)(subseq my-list n)(?)my-array n tail@my-array[n..*]my_list[n:]my_list[n..](?)(?)$my_list[(math $n + 1)..]
List of last N elements(last my-list n)(?)(?)(?)my-array n tail*@my-array.tail(n)my_list[-n:]my_list.keep(-n)(?)(?)$my_list[(math - $n)..]
List without last N elements(butlast my-list n)(?)(butlast my-list n)(?)my-array n head*(?)my_list[:-n]my_list.drop(-n)(?)(?)$my_list[..(math "-1 * $n - 1")]
List subsequence(subseq my-list start end)(?)(subseq my-list start end)(?)start end my-array subseq(?)my_list[start:end]my_list[start..end-1](?)(?)(?)
Filter list to items true of predicate(remove-if-not pred my-list)(filter pred my-list)(?)(?)my-array pred filter@my-array.grep(pred)[i for i in my_list if pred(i)]my_list.select(pred)(?)(?)(?)
Filter list to items false of predicate(remove-if pred my-list)(filter pred my-list)(cl-remove-if pred my-list)(?)my-array pred reject(?)[i for i in my_list if not pred(i)]my_list.reject(pred)(?)(?)(?)
Test for item in list(find item my-list)(member item my-list)(member item my-list)(?)item my-array member?@my-array.first(pred)(?)my_array.includes(item)(?)(?)contains item $my_list
Get index of item in list(position item my-list)(?)(cl-position item my-list)(?)item my-array index(?)(?)my_array.indexOf(item)(?)(?)contains --index item $my_list
Get first item in list matching predicate(find-if pred my-list)(?)(?)(?)my-array pred find

find returns both the matching item and its index; nip can be used to discard the index.
@my-array.first(pred)(?)my_array.detect(pred)(?)(?)(?)
Test if all items in list match predicate(every pred my-list)(?)(cl-every pred my-list)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)
Get index of first element matching predicate(position-if pred my-list)(list-index pred my-list)(?)(?)my-array pred find

find returns both the matching item and its index; drop can be used to discard the item.
(?)(?)my_array.detectIndex(pred)(?)(?)(?)
Apply function to each list element and collect each result into a list (map)(mapcar func my-list)(?)(mapcar func my-list)(?)my-array func map@my-array.map(func)(?)my_array.collect(func)(?)(?)(?)
Combine elements of a sequence with a function (fold/reduce)(reduce func my-list)(reduce func identity my-list)(?)(?)my-sequence identity func reducereduce &func, @my-array(?)my_array.reduce(func)(?)(?)(?)
Elements common to two lists (set intersection)(intersection list-1 list-2)(?)(intersection list-1 list-2)(?)array-1 array-2 intersect(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)
Elements only in the first of two sequences (set difference)(set-difference list-1 list-2)(?)(set-difference list-1 list-2)(?)sequence-1 sequence-2 diff(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)
Combine two sequences without duplicates (set union)(remove-duplicates (append list-1 list-2))(?)(union list-1 list-2)(?)sequence-1 sequence-2 union(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)
Unicode string length(length "🤦🏼‍♂️") ; 5(string-length "🤦🏼‍♂️") ; 5(length "🤦🏼‍♂️") ; 5'🤦🏼‍♂️' size. "5""🤦🏼‍♂️" length ! 5"🤦🏼‍♂️".elems # 1len("🤦🏼‍♂️") # 5"🤦🏼‍♂️".size // 17(?)(?)(?)
String subsequence(subseq "foo bar" 0 3)(substring "foo bar" 0 3)(substring "foo bar" 0 3)(?)(?)(?)"foo bar"[0:3](?)(?)(?)(?)
Hash table(make-hash-table)(?)(make-hash-table)(?)8 <hashtable>

<hashtable> requires an initial size.
Hash()(?)Dictionary()(?)declare -A my_hash

bash requires a name for the variable when declaring it a hash.
(unsupported)
Hash table literal(unsupported)(?)#s(hash-table data (foo 1 bar 2))(?)H{ { "foo" 1 } { "bar" 2 } }{foo => 1, bar => 2}(?)(?)(?)declare -A my_hash=( [foo]=1 [bar]=2 )(unsupported)
Get the value of key in hash table(gethash "key" hash)(?)(gethash "key" hash)(?)hash "key" at%hash{"key"}(?)hash.at(key)(?)${hash[key]}(unsupported)
Set the value of key in hash table(setf (gethash "key" hash) 9)(?)(puthash "key" 9 hash)(?)9 "key" hash set-at%hash{"key"} = 9;(?)hash.put(key, 9)(?)hash[key]=9(unsupported)
Get list of keys in hash table(loop for key being the hash-keys of hash collect key)(?)(hash-table-keys hash)(?)hash keys%hash.keys;(?)hash.keys(?)${!hash[@]}(unsupported)
Define a namespace(defpackage #:my-package ...)(?)(unsupported)(?)"my-vocab" create-vocab

Typically new vocabularies (namespaces) are defined with IN:, which also sets the current active vocabulary, simply switching to it if it already exists.
(?)(?)(?)(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Get the current namespace*package*(?)(unsupported)(?)current-vocab(?)(?)(?)(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Set the current namespace(in-package #:my-package)(?)(unsupported)(?)IN: my-vocab

IN: will also create the vocabulary if it doesn't already exist.
(?)(?)(?)(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)
Use a namespace(use-package #:other-package)(?)(unsupported)(?)USE: other-vocab(?)(?)(?)(?)(unsupported)(unsupported)