EmacsLisp (Elisp) is the language that much of Emacs is written in, and it is also the language that you can use to [[customize]] Emacs for your own use.

Don't worry - even if you're an EmacsNewbie, you can get the hang of it. Learning a little Emacs Lisp will help you use Emacs more effectively:

* You will better understand the documentation and online help for functions and variables.
* You will be able to consult the Lisp source code for a function or variable, in order to understand it still better.
* You will be able to convert common [[key sequence]]s you use into [[keyboard macro]]s or your own [[command]]s defined in Lisp.
* You will be able to take snippets of code from the standard source code or elsewhere and adapt them to create your own Emacs commands.
* You will be able to attract better guidance (and/or commiseration) from fellow Emacs users.
* You will be able to make Emacs better fit your needs and fancies.


== Emacs Lisp for things you already use ==

* Use `C-x ESC ESC' (`repeat-complex-command') to repeat [[command]]s you execute, and look at the Emacs Lisp code that executes them, before hitting `RET' (Return) -- see RepeatingComplexCommand.  You can edit that code to get a variation on the last behavior.

* Use `C-h f' (`describe-function') and `C-h v' (`describe-variable') to understand commands and [[variable]]s you use. You'll see a description of the function or variable. If you have the Emacs source code locally, you will also see a link to the relevant definition in the code. Click the link or move the [[cursor]] to it and press `RET' to follow it.

* Use `C-h k' (`describe-key') to see which command is invoked when you use a [[key]]. The description shown includes the command description (see previous).

== Resources ==

=== Core === 
* Read  ''An Introduction to Programming in Emacs Lisp'': EmacsLispIntro. In Emacs, use `C-h i' (`info'), then choose `Emacs Lisp Intro'.  You can also read this manual [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/eintr.html on the Web]] or as a portable [[http://epub-manuals.ourproject.org/blog/an-introduction-to-programming-in-emacs-lisp/ epub book]].
* Read the ''GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual'' manual: EmacsLispReference. In Emacs, use `C-h i' (`info'), then choose `Elisp'. You can also read the manual [[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/elisp.html on the Web]] or as a portable [[http://epub-manuals.ourproject.org/blog/gnu-emacs-lisp-reference-manual/ epub book]].

=== Books / Tutorials ===

* [[https://protesilaos.com/emacs/emacs-lisp-elements Emacs Lisp Elements]], by Protesilaos Stavrou (prot).
* [[https://caiorss.github.io/Emacs-Elisp-Programming/Elisp_Programming.html Elisp Programming]], by Caio Rordrigues (caiorss).
* [[https://github.com/hypernumbers/learn_elisp_the_hard_way Learn Elisp the Hard Way]], by Gordon Guthrie. Built with Sphinx, but readable without it.
* [[https://github.com/chrisdone-archive/elisp-guide Elisp Guide]], by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/ChrisDone Chris Done]].
* An unfinished [[https://web.archive.org/web/20171006041002/http://www.gnuvola.org/software/elisp-tutorial/index.html#ov Elisp tutorial]] by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/ThienThiNguyen Thien-Thi Nguyen]] (ttn).

=== Video Series ===

* [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PL9KxKa8NpFxKGctwh4-BqjQvdSRhh4NV- Learning Elisp]] by Mike Zamansky.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQK_DaaX34Q&list=PLEoMzSkcN8oPQtn7FQEF3D7sroZbXuPZ7 Learning Emacs Lisp]], by System Crafters.
* [[https://tv.dyne.org/w/p/2A6UVt21hayJ3dVj5cU4yA?playlistPosition=1 Emacs Package Development: Emacs Reader]], by Divya Ranjan Pattanaik.

=== Cookbooks / Tips ===
* Check out examples in ElispCookbook
* [[https://isamert.net/2023/08/14/elisp-editing-development-tips.html Elisp editing/development Tips ]] by Isa Mert Gurbuz (isamert).
* [[https://caiorss.github.io/Emacs-Elisp-Programming/Elisp_Snippets.html Elisp Snippets]] by Caio Rordrigues (caiorss).
* [[https://www.thethingsengine.org/elisp.html the "elisp" practice]], by Dr. YF Yin.
* [[http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2008/01/emergency-elisp.html Emergency Elisp]], by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/SteveYegge Steve Yegge]]. Good for people with programming backgrounds.
* [[https://bzg.fr/en/learn-emacs-lisp-in-15-minutes Learn Emacs Lisp in 15 Minutes]]- by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/BastienGuerry Bastien Guerry]], Org mode Maintainer.
* [[https://sachachua.com/blog/2014/06/read-lisp-tweak-emacs-beginner-14-try-emacs-lisp/ Read Lisp, Tweak Emacs: How to read Emacs Lisp so that you can customize Emacs]] - by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/SachaChua Sacha Chua]].
* [[http://ergoemacs.org/emacs/elisp.html Practical Emacs Lisp]] - by [[https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Xah_Lee Xah Lee]].
* Mitch Fincher's [[http://www.fincher.org/tips/Languages/Emacs.shtml 50-point summary]] of the language.

=== Other Elisp Resources ===


* [[https://codeberg.org/pavodive/spiral Spiral]]: Spiral is an Emacs package designed to be an an interactive trainer for learning elisp, inspired by the R package Swirl.
* Check out existing ExampleConfigurations.
* [[https://github.com/p3r7/awesome-elisp Awesome Elisp]] on GitHub. 

== General Lisp Resources ==

Emacs Lisp belongs to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lisp-family_programming_languages Lisp family]] of programming languages, and learning it will teach you general Lisp concepts.  Learning Lisp concepts will help you learn Emacs Lisp.  The following resources are primarily about the Common Lisp and Scheme languages.

* Harold Abelson & Gerald Jay Sussman: MIT lectures (videos).  Start with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J_xL4IGhJA Lecture 1A: Overview and Introduction to Lisp]].

** their book, [[https://web.mit.edu/6.001/6.037/sicp.pdf Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, 2nd ed.]] (pdf)

** there is also an [[https://sarabander.github.io/sicp/ online/HTML version]].

** the [[https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-001-structure-and-interpretation-of-computer-programs-spring-2005/ complete CS 6.001 course]] from Spring 2005 can be downloaded from MIT.


See also:

* David Touretsky's [[https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/LispBook/book.pdf Common Lisp: A Gentle Introduction to Symbolic Computation]] (pdf).
* David B. Lamkin's [[https://dept-info.labri.fr/~strandh/Teaching/MTP/Common/David-Lamkins/ Successful Lisp]].
* Peter Seibel's : [[https://gigamonkeys.com/book/ Practical Common Lisp]].\\
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* Pascal Costanza'a intro to Lisp: [[http://p-cos.net/lisp/guide.html Introduction to Lisp]]
* Paul Graham's [[https://paulgraham.com/rootsoflisp.html Roots of Lisp]]
* Peter Norvig's [[https://www.cs.umd.edu/%7Enau/cmsc421/norvig-lisp-style.pdf Tutorial on Good Lisp Programming Style]] (pdf).
* Steve Losh's [[https://stevelosh.com/blog/2018/08/a-road-to-common-lisp/ A Road to Common Lisp]]\\
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* Lisp-lang.org's [[https://lisp-lang.org/books/ List of Lisp books]]
* Jos ́e Antonio Ortega Ruiz's article [[http://programming-musings.org/2007/01/31/a_scheme_bookshelf/index.html A Scheme Bookshelf]].

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