Life & fun · February 27, 2023
Dak – a Lisp-like language that transpiles to JavaScript
Hi HN, author here. Happy to answer any questions. I had an itch to make a lisp like language that was a thin layer on top JavaScript. Something that could leverage the thriving ecosystem that exists around JavaScript. It's brittle, hot off the oven. Besides being a fan of parenthesis, I think macros fill in a gap that the JavaScript ecosystem today fills in with one-off compilers, bundler plugins and such. Macros can't do everything, but for example I think they have the potential to enable things like JSX, Solid and Svelte style libraries. Take the tour to get a feel for what it can do and…
In plain words
Dak is a Lisp-like language that compiles to JavaScript, designed as a thin layer over the JavaScript ecosystem. It lets developers write code using Lisp syntax while accessing JavaScript libraries and tools. The language features macros, which the creator positions as a way to handle patterns typically addressed through separate compilers and bundler plugins, potentially enabling capabilities similar to JSX, Solid, and Svelte frameworks. Dak is in early stages and includes an in-browser code playground for exploration.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN, author here. Happy to answer any questions. I had an itch to make a lisp like language that was a thin layer on top JavaScript. Something that could leverage the thriving ecosystem that exists around JavaScript. It's brittle, hot off the oven. Besides being a fan of parenthesis, I think macros fill in a gap that the JavaScript ecosystem today fills in with one-off compilers, bundler plugins and such. Macros can't do everything, but for example I think they have the potential to enable things like JSX, Solid and Svelte style libraries. Take the tour to get a feel for what it can do and play with the live code in your browser!
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