Loop is a powerful macro in Common Lisp that provides a mini-language for iteration, allowing programmers to express complex looping constructs concisely. Despite its flexibility and convenience, Loop has been a source of controversy due to its deviation from traditional Lisp syntax and the challenges in making it predictable when combining multiple clauses.

How to use it in a sentence

• "I spent all day debugging this nested Loop macro, only to realize I could've just used a simple recursive function instead. Story of my life."

• "Hey, did you hear about the new startup that's using Loop macros for their AI-powered, blockchain-based, IoT-enabled, cloud-native, serverless, microservice architecture? They're gonna disrupt the industry!"

If you actually want to learn more...

• Dan Weinreb: Loop - Dan Weinreb, one of the designers of Common Lisp, reflects on the history and challenges of the Loop macro, discussing its competition with the "new style DO" in Maclisp and the controversies surrounding its design decisions.

• Resources - This comprehensive list of resources related to Lisp and other programming languages includes links to notable organizations, online resources, manuals, and guides for those interested in learning more about Loop and other Lisp features.

• Arc at 3 Weeks - While not directly about Loop, this article discusses the design philosophies and features of Arc, a Lisp dialect, which provides insights into alternative approaches to iteration and macro design that address some of the challenges faced by Loop.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.