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Clasp: Common Lisp using LLVM and C++ for Molecular Metaprogramming

Google TechTalks · talk · Watch on YouTube

Functional programmingCompilers, interpreters & program analysisChemistry

What it is

Christian Schafmeister's Google Tech Talk on designing spiroligomer molecules and building Clasp, a Common Lisp on LLVM that interoperates with C++, to program molecular design. It covers the chemistry, automatic differentiation for force fields, and how the compiler is built.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN repeatedly cites it as a striking example of Common Lisp used to push the frontier of science, and as one of the most inspiring tech talks.

  • 8 people recommended it
  • 8 different months
  • 5 strong recommendations
  • first 2015, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “If you are on this article, you probably will love to watch this guy.”

    Developer built a Lisp to design molecules; inspires studying chemistry

    616c, 2015-06 · Strong recommendation · in “Making sexy molecules in PowerPoint”

  2. “Absolutely fascinating stuff.”

    Fascinating talk on molecular metaprogramming with Clasp

    radicalcut, 2015-07 · Strong recommendation · in “John Carmack working on Scheme as a VR scripting language”

  3. “I challenge anyone to watch this lecture from Christian Schafmeister and say they are not impressed”

    Impressive lecture showing Common Lisp as a programmer amplifier

    nabla9, 2016-02 · Strong recommendation · in “The Lisp Curse (2011)”

  4. “This talk is even better.”

    Compelling talk with a memorable macros-versus-templates metaphor

    golergka, 2016-05 · Strong recommendation · in “European Lisp Symposium 2016”

  5. “The most inspiring talk a I have ever seen”

    Common Lisp compiler on LLVM used to design molecular machines

    pmarin, 2018-04 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: What is your favourite tech talk?”

  6. “If you're asking yourself what kinds of problems is a Lisp good for you should probably watch this”

    Shows what problems Lisp suits: a chemist building his own Common Lisp

    nnq, 2015-09 · Recommendation · in “Lisp is still a secret weapon”

  7. “they developed a DSL in common lisp to generate C++ code using LLVM.”

    A DSL in Common Lisp generating C++ via LLVM for molecules

    girishso, 2019-01 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Can we write a programming language for biology?”

  8. “There's a nice Google Tech Talk about it [0], that goes into both why he did this, and how he implemented this.”

    Explains why and how Clasp was implemented with C++ templates and GC

    simiones, 2021-10 · Recommendation · in “Carp – A statically typed Lisp, without a GC, for real-time applications”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: clasp, llvm, common lisp, nanotechnology, metaprogramming, chemistry

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