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Re:Schemesh: Fusion between Unix shell and Lisp REPL by cosmos0072 on Monday February 17, 2025 @02:16AM (#43076114)
That's true.

In shells, "test" and "[" are often used after "if", as for example

  if test -f "some_file"
    do_something
  fi

  if [ "$FOO" != "" ]
    do_something_else
  fi
Schemesh does not have a shell builtin "if", you switch to Scheme for that:

  (if (file-regular? "some_file')
    (sh-run {do_something}))
Thus the need for "test" and its alias "[" is reduced.

Also, "test" implements a mini-language full of one-letter operators: `-f FILE` `COND1 -a COND2` `COND1 -o COND2` etc.

I really don't miss it, as I find the equivalent in Scheme to be more readable - and of course more general

  (file-regular? "FILE")
  (and COND1 COND2)
  (or COND1 COND2)
etc.

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