4.1 Compiler Introduction

This chapter contains information about the compiler that every CMU Common Lisp user should be familiar with. Chapter 5 goes into greater depth, describing ways to use more advanced features.

The CMU Common Lisp compiler (also known as Python) has many features that are seldom or never supported by conventional Common Lisp compilers:

• Source level debugging of compiled code (see chapter 3.)
• Type error compiler warnings for type errors detectable at compile time.
• Compiler error messages that provide a good indication of where the error appeared in the source.
• Full run-time checking of all potential type errors, with optimization of type checks to minimize the cost.
• Scheme-like features such as proper tail recursion and extensive source-level optimization.
• Advanced tuning and optimization features such as comprehensive efficiency notes, flow analysis, and untagged number representations (see chapter 5.)