Kvist – a Lisp for systems programming that compiles to Odin

In plain words

Kvist is a statically typed Lisp that compiles to Odin, offering Clojure-inspired syntax alongside source macros and data-oriented programming. It targets systems programmers seeking interactive development with predictable performance and direct memory control. The language bridges Lisp's expressiveness with native execution, supporting use cases from writing standard systems software to building domain-specific languages and interactive native applications.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

Kvist combines Clojure-inspired syntax, source macros, data-oriented programming, and interactive development with Odin's native, statically typed execution model. It explores what a Lisp can look like when concrete representation, predictable costs, direct interoperability, and explicit memory are foundational properties. Different programs can lean on different parts of that combination. Kvist can be used as a Lisp-shaped way to write ordinary native software, as a platform for macros and DSLs, as an interactive environment for native code, or for applications that mix concrete types with flexible data-oriented subsystems. Ordinary values have Odin-like representation and ownership.…from github.com

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