> Many newer languages include a macro system to enable extensibility, but few would argue that the new batch of macro systems have achieved the expressiveness and fluidity of macros as they exist within the Lisp tradition, which includes Racket.
It sounds like the authors see Lisp-style macros as uniquely powerful and are exploring how to bring similar meta-programming power to languages with syntax other than just s-expressions.
> what's that niche in which Rhombus can defeat Scala or Rust or Elixir
Good question. My read is that Rhombus isn't motivated by solving some "real world" problem and is instead an exploration in language design.
Add to this integration with an entire family of languages. Racket permits you to jump between different syntaxes. The closest thing that immediately comes to mind is writing inline C in Chicken or Gambit Scheme and that's far clunkier. Hy (embeds in python) also comes to mind but Python often seems rather slow.
It sounds like the authors see Lisp-style macros as uniquely powerful and are exploring how to bring similar meta-programming power to languages with syntax other than just s-expressions.
> what's that niche in which Rhombus can defeat Scala or Rust or Elixir
Good question. My read is that Rhombus isn't motivated by solving some "real world" problem and is instead an exploration in language design.