Emacs Ecosystem

---

name: Emacs Ecosystem description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "write elisp", "emacs config", "init.el", "use-package", ".el file", "emacs lisp", or "magit". Provides comprehensive Emacs ecosystem patterns and best practices. For org-mode, use org-ecosystem skill.

<elisp_fundamentals> S-expressions as code and data (homoiconicity). Prefix notation for all operations.

  ;; cons_cell: Pair
  (cons 1 2) ; => (1 . 2)

  ;; list: Linked cons cells
  '(1 2 3)

  ;; vector: Fixed-size array
  [1 2 3]

  ;; hash-table: Key-value store
  (make-hash-table)

  ;; string: Text
  "hello"

  ;; number: Integer or float
  42
  3.14
</example>

  (let\* ((x 1)
          (y (+ x 1))) ; y can reference x
    y)
</example>

  (when condition
    body-forms...)

  (unless condition
    body-forms...)

  (cond
    (condition1 result1)
    (condition2 result2)
    (t default-result))

  (pcase value
    ('symbol (handle-symbol))
    ((pred stringp) (handle-string))
    (\_ (handle-default)))
</example>

  (dotimes (i 10)
    (process i))

  (cl-loop for item in list
           collect (transform item))

  (seq-map #'transform sequence)
  (seq-filter #'predicate sequence)
  (seq-reduce #'fn sequence initial)
</example>

  (mapcar (lambda (x) (\* x 2)) '(1 2 3))

  ;; Short form (Emacs 28+)
  (mapcar (lambda (x) (+ x 1)) list)
</example>

<configuration_patterns> Modern init.el organization ;;; init.el --- Emacs configuration -*- lexical-binding: t; -_-

  ;;; Commentary:
  ;; Personal Emacs configuration

  ;;; Code:

  ;; Bootstrap package manager
  (require 'package)
  (setq package-archives
        '(("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/")
          ("gnu" . "https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/")
          ("nongnu" . "https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/")))
  (package-initialize)

  ;; Install use-package if not present
  (unless (package-installed-p 'use-package)
    (package-refresh-contents)
    (package-install 'use-package))

  (eval-when-compile
    (require 'use-package))

  ;; Configuration sections...

  (provide 'init)
  ;;; init.el ends here
</example>

  ;; Mode-specific
  (define-key emacs-lisp-mode-map (kbd "C-c C-e") #'eval-last-sexp)

  ;; With use-package
  (use-package magit
    :bind (("C-x g" . magit-status)
           ("C-x M-g" . magit-dispatch)))

  ;; Keymap definition
  (defvar my-prefix-map (make-sparse-keymap)
    "Keymap for my custom commands.")
  (global-set-key (kbd "C-c m") my-prefix-map)
  (define-key my-prefix-map (kbd "f") #'find-file)
</example>

  ;; Remove function from hook
  (remove-hook 'prog-mode-hook #'display-line-numbers-mode)

  ;; Lambda in hook (discouraged for removability)
  (add-hook 'after-save-hook
            (lambda () (message "Saved!")))

  ;; With use-package
  (use-package flycheck
    :hook (prog-mode . flycheck-mode))
</example>

  (advice-add 'save-buffer :around #'my-after-save-message)

  ;; Remove advice
  (advice-remove 'save-buffer #'my-after-save-message)
</example>

  (defcustom my-package-option t
    "Enable my-package option."
    :type 'boolean
    :group 'my-package)

  (defcustom my-package-list '("a" "b")
    "List of strings."
    :type '(repeat string)
    :group 'my-package)
</example>

  (require 'package)
  (setq package-archives
        '(("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/")
          ("gnu" . "https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/")))
  (package-initialize)

  ;; Install a package
  (package-install 'magit)
</example>

  ;; Use with use-package
  (straight-use-package 'use-package)
  (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)

  ;; Install package
  (use-package magit
    :straight t)
</example>

  ;; Use with use-package
  (elpaca elpaca-use-package
    (elpaca-use-package-mode))

  (use-package magit
    :ensure t)
</example>

<lsp_integration> <decision_tree name="when_to_use"> Do you need LSP features like completion, go-to-definition, and diagnostics? <if_yes>Use eglot for built-in simplicity or lsp-mode for rich features</if_yes> <if_no>Use basic major modes without LSP overhead</if_no> </decision_tree>

  ;; Custom server configuration
  (add-to-list 'eglot-server-programs
               '(rust-mode . ("rust-analyzer")))
</example>

  (use-package lsp-ui
    :ensure t
    :hook (lsp-mode . lsp-ui-mode)
    :custom
    (lsp-ui-doc-enable t)
    (lsp-ui-sideline-enable t))
</example>

  ;; With company (traditional)
  (use-package company
    :ensure t
    :hook (after-init . global-company-mode)
    :custom
    (company-idle-delay 0.2))
</example>

<modern_packages> Vertical completion UI with orderless, marginalia, and consult (use-package vertico :ensure t :init (vertico-mode))

  (use-package orderless
    :ensure t
    :custom
    (completion-styles '(orderless basic)))

  (use-package marginalia
    :ensure t
    :init (marginalia-mode))

  (use-package consult
    :ensure t
    :bind (("C-s" . consult-line)
           ("C-x b" . consult-buffer)
           ("M-g g" . consult-goto-line)))
</example>

  ;; Install grammars
  (mapc #'treesit-install-language-grammar
        (mapcar #'car treesit-language-source-alist))

  ;; Remap modes
  (setq major-mode-remap-alist
        '((python-mode . python-ts-mode)
          (javascript-mode . js-ts-mode)))
</example>

<context7_integration>

<usage_pattern> Resolve library ID (known: /websites/emacsdocs) Fetch documentation with specific topic Emacs Lisp programming patterns Package configuration patterns Org mode configuration Magit usage and configuration Hook usage patterns </usage_pattern>

<common_queries> Key binding patterns Function definition Advice system usage Customization variables </common_queries> </context7_integration>

<best_practices> Enable lexical-binding in all Elisp files: -*- lexical-binding: t; -_- Use #'function-name for function references (enables byte-compiler warnings) Document functions with docstrings Namespace all symbols with package prefix Prefer seq.el functions for sequence operations Use pcase for complex pattern matching Use defcustom for user-configurable options Use provide at end of file Prefer :custom over setq in use-package Use :hook instead of add-hook in use-package Lazy load packages with :defer, :commands, or :hook Use native-compilation when available (Emacs 28+) Prefer eglot for LSP (built-in, simpler) Use tree-sitter modes when available (Emacs 29+) </best_practices>

<anti_patterns> Using dynamic binding when lexical is needed Add lexical-binding: t to file header

<related_agents> Architecture analysis for elisp package structure Docstring and commentary generation Elisp implementation and configuration tasks Debugging elisp errors and hook issues </related_agents>

<related_skills> Org-mode document creation, GTD workflow, Babel, export patterns Symbol operations for elisp code navigation Emacs documentation lookup via /websites/emacsdocs Debugging package conflicts and performance issues Creating package documentation and README files </related_skills>

<error_escalation> Byte-compilation warning Fix warning, ensure clean compilation Configuration error on startup Debug with --debug-init, fix issue Package conflict or version mismatch Stop, present resolution options to user Emacs becomes unusable Provide recovery steps, require user action </error_escalation>