Node:Lists, Next:Vectors, Previous:Pairs, Up:Compound Data Types

22.2 Lists

A very important data type in Scheme--as well as in all other Lisp dialects--is the data type list.¹

This is the short definition of what a list is:

• Either the empty list (),
• or a pair which has a list in its cdr.

• List Syntax: Writing literal lists.
• List Predicates: Testing lists.
• List Constructors: Creating new lists.
• List Selection: Selecting from lists, getting their length.
• Append/Reverse: Appending and reversing lists.
• List Modification: Modifying existing lists.
• List Searching: Searching for list elements
• List Mapping: Applying procedures to lists.

Footnotes

1. Strictly speaking, Scheme does not have a real datatype list. Lists are made up of chained pairs, and only exist by definition---a list is a chain of pairs which looks like a list.