What is Clojure written in?
Clojure is a dialect of the Lisp programming language, first released in 2007.
Implementation
| Layer | Written in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compiler | Java (since 2007) | Clojure compiler written in Java by design |
Compiler implementation
The Clojure compiler, written in Java, translates Clojure source code into an executable or intermediate format. The choice of implementation language affects the compiler's portability, build-time dependencies, and the path toward Clojure eventually becoming self-hosting.
Many language compilers are written in C or C++ for maximum portability and performance. When a compiler is written in a higher-level language, it can leverage that language's abstractions for clearer compiler code, at the cost of a longer bootstrap dependency chain.
Explore in the Graph
See Clojure's full lineage, including all implementation and influence relationships, in the interactive graph.
Open Interactive Graph →Or view the Clojure language page for the complete record.