Updated April 6, 2023
Difference Between Lisp vs Python
The following article provides an outline for Lisp vs Python. An interpreted, object-oriented, and high-level programming language with dynamic semantics is called Python programming language and the second high-level programming language created by John McCarthy is called Lisp programming language. Symbolic computation is very much easier in the Lisp Programming language when compared to the Python programming language. Domain-specific languages are trivial in Lisp when compared to a python programming language. Lisp programming language’s performance is better when compared to Python programming language, and writing macros in Lisp programming language is easier than in Python programming language.
Head to Head Comparison Between Lisp vs Python (Infographics)
Below are the top 18 differences between Lisp vs Python:
Key Difference
Let us discuss some of the major key differences between Lisp vs Python:
- Symbolic computation is difficult to be performed in Python Programming language whereas is it is much easier to be performed in Lisp Programming Language.
- Symbolic computation happens naturally in the Lisp programming language, whereas it doesn’t happen naturally in the Python Programming language.
- Domain-Specific languages take longer in Python programming language, whereas it is less time-consuming in Lisp Programming language.
- The Python programming language’s performance is less when compared to the performance of the Lisp Programming language.
- There are no macros in Python Programming language, whereas Lisp Programming language consists of macros.
- Pre-defined syntaxes must be used in Python Programming language, whereas own syntaxes can be written in Lisp Programming language.
- There are limitations on using only the available features in the Python programming language because pre-defined features and syntaxes must only be used in the Python Programming language.
- There are no limitations on using only the Lisp Programming language’s available features because own syntaxes can be written in Lisp Programming language.
- The Lisp programming language can be customized, whereas it is not possible to customize the Python Programming language.
- Lisp programming language consists of multiline anonymous functions, whereas Python programming language does not consist of multiline anonymous functions.
- Lisp programming language is more suitable for metaprogramming when compared to Python programming language.
- The Lisp programming language can be written only in Emacs Integrated Development Environment and not in any other Integrated Development Environment, whereas Python programming language can be run in several different environments.
- There is flexibility in Lisp programming language to run only a part of the function that consists of error and not the entire program in case the program consists of error, whereas the entire program must be compiled and run in Python programming language to fix the error.
- No testing or continuous integration is required in the Lisp Programming language, whereas testing and integration are required in the Python Programming language.
- There are no predefined Lisp Programming language patterns, whereas there are predefined patterns in Python Programming language.
- The processing of Python Programming language is faster when compared to the processing in Lisp Programming language.
- Python programming language is the most suitable language to work on Artificial Intelligence when compared to Lisp Programming language.
- There is no community for support in the Lisp programming language, whereas there is strong support and a community for Python to help each other.
- Several other programming languages have adopted Lisp programming language, whereas Python is a standalone programming language.
- Python is sort of easier language as everything is predefined, whereas Lisp programming language needs writing of our own syntaxes.
- Python programming language is widely used in the area of research and scientific computing because of its pre-defined syntaxes and features, unlike Lisp Programming language.
Lisp vs Python Comparison Table
Let’s discuss the top comparison between Lisp vs Python:
| Lisp Programming Language |
Python Programming Language |
| Symbolic computation is easy in the Lisp Programming language. | Symbolic computation is difficult in the Python Programming language. |
| Symbolic computation is natural in the Lisp Programming language. | Symbolic computation is artificial in Lisp Programming language. |
| A domain-specific language is trivial in Lisp Programming language. | Domain-specific language takes a longer time in Python Programming language. |
| Lisp programming language provides good performance when compared to Python programming language. | The performance of the Python programming language is less when compared to the Lisp programming language. |
| There are macros in the Lisp Programming language. | There are no macros in the Python programming language. |
| Own syntaxes can be written in Lisp Programming language. | Pre-defined syntaxes must be used in the Python Programming language. |
| There are no limitations on using only the pre available features in Lisp Programming language. | Since only pre-defined syntaxes can be used, using only the available features is a limitation in the Python programming language. |
| Lisp Programming language is a customizable language. | Python Programming language is non-customizable. |
| Multiline anonymous functions are present in the Lisp Programming language. | Multiline anonymous functions are not present in the Python Programming language. |
| Metaprogramming is better in the Lisp Programming language when compared to the Python Programming language. | Python Programming language is not suitable for metaprogramming in Lisp Programming language. |
| Lisp programming language can only be written in EMacs Integrated Development Environment. | Python Programming language can be written in several integrated Development Environment. |
| There is flexibility in the Lisp programming language to run only a part of the function that consists of error and not the entire program in case the program consists of error. | The entire program must be compiled and run in Python programming language to fix the error in case the program consists of an error. |
| No testing or no continuous integration is required in the Lisp Programming language. | Testing and integration are required in the Python Programming language. |
| There are no predefined patterns in the Lisp Programming language. | There are predefined patterns in the Python Programming language. |
| Processing is slower in the Lisp Programming language when compared to the Python programming language. | Processing is faster in Python programming language when compared to Lisp Programming language. |
| Lisp Programming language is not preferred much to work on Artificial Intelligence. | Python programming language is much preferred to work on Artificial Intelligence. |
| There is no community or support for Lisp Programming language users. | There is a community to provide support to Python programming language users. |
| Several other programming languages adopt the lisp programming language. | Python programming language is an orphan language. |
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This is a guide to Lisp vs Python. Here we discuss Lisp vs Python key differences with infographics and comparison table, respectively. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –
