Hello World in Common Lisp
Copy and paste this Common Lisp Hello World example into your editor, compiler, terminal or runtime.
(format t "Hello, World!~%")About this Common Lisp example
Hello World programs are commonly used to confirm that a programming language environment is working correctly. This example gives you a simple starting point for Common Lisp.
The History of Common Lisp
Common Lisp has an interesting history and continues to be used by developers, students and organisations around the world. The language was created to solve specific technical challenges and has evolved over time through new versions, tools and community contributions. Depending on the language, it may be used for business software, web applications, scientific computing, systems programming, education or specialist industries. Learning about the origins of Common Lisp helps provide context for how it is used today and why it remains relevant. Many people begin their journey with a Hello World in Common Lisp example because it provides a simple introduction to the syntax and structure of the language. From that first program, developers often progress to larger projects and gain a deeper understanding of programming concepts. Although technologies change, Common Lisp continues to be an important part of the software development landscape and remains a valuable language to learn.
What is Common Lisp used for today?
Common Lisp is used by developers, businesses, educational institutions and technology organisations around the world. Depending on the language, common use cases include web development, desktop software, automation, scientific computing, mobile applications, embedded systems, enterprise software and data processing. Understanding how Common Lisp is used in the real world helps learners connect a simple Hello World in Common Lisp example to practical development projects. As programmers gain experience they often move from basic output statements to working with variables, functions, classes, databases and APIs.
Why learn Common Lisp?
Learning Common Lisp can provide valuable insight into programming concepts, software design and problem solving. Every language has its own strengths, community and ecosystem. Some languages are known for simplicity and readability, while others are valued for performance, reliability or specialised industry use. Writing a Hello World in Common Lisp program is often the first milestone on a longer learning journey. By understanding the syntax, history and modern applications of Common Lisp, developers can build a strong foundation before moving on to more advanced topics and larger software projects.
Explore more Hello World examples
Continue learning with more beginner-friendly Hello World examples in other programming languages.