[bug#50349] [PATCH] packages: Add 'define-package' syntax.

[Maxime Devos]

Sarah Morgensen schreef op do 02-09-2021 om 21:06 [-0700]:
> Hello Guix,
> 
> This patch adds a shorthand for "(define-public name (package ...))":
> 
> (define-package my-favorite-package
>   (name "my-favorite-package")
>   ...)

This could be even shorter in the special case that the variable name
and package name are the same (modulo types):

(define-package "my-favorite-package"
  (version ...)
  ...)

'datum->syntax' and 'string->symbol' can be used to turn "my-favorite-package"
into an identifier.

A 'define-unexported-package' might be required in some places.

> The purpose is primarily to save the horizontal indent, but IMO it looks
> better, and is marginally more clear for newcomers.  I think ideally we could
> eventually transition to using this syntax as the primary syntax and only use
> 'define-public' when necessary.
> 
> There are some downsides... it's one more form to keep track of, and 'let'
> forms can't easily be used with it.
> 
> Since it's a syntax rule, it doesn't cause packages to rebuild (tested). I've
> also tested the indentation rules, indent-code.el, and the snippets.
> 
> This probably deserves a documentation addition, but I wasn't sure where to
> add it without confusing newcomers.  Suggestions welcome!

‘Defining Packages’ would be a good place I think.

> What do you all think?

This looks nice to me.  IIUC, the define-package is intended to be clearer
to newcomers, so you might want to ask for feedback on the new syntax on
help-guix@gnu.org.

Greetings,
Maxime.

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