Rhombus 1.1 release adds simpler annotations and 'as' binding form
The Racket team's language now lets you define annotations without writing macro code.
Rhombus 1.1, the newest release of the Racket-based programming language, is now available. The update focuses on making the language easier to use and more customizable. Two new forms, annot and annot.def, let developers define annotations without directly writing meta-time (macro) code, lowering the barrier for language extensions. A new 'as' binding form provides a more readable alternative to '&&' for naming, and also supports shadowing identifiers already bound as binding forms. Class definitions now bind inherited names using the corresponding superclass or interface reference, improving namespace clarity.
Beyond the core syntax, the ffi library adds an initialized-array variant of 'new', while the pict module gains a ~label_as argument for 'explain_anim' and better handling of paragraph points in 'magic_move' and 'cross_fade'. 'Pict.rebuilt' is replaced by 'rebuilt', with an optional ~as_rebuilt argument for backward compatibility. Slideshow users get slide_transition and continued page numbering. Community contributions shaped this release, and Rhombus invites feedback via Racket's Discourse or Discord (#rhombus). The Racket team's motto—'anything we can do, you can do'—underscores Rhombus's open design philosophy, empowering programmers to participate in language creation.
- New annot and annot.def forms define annotations without writing macro (meta-time) code
- Added 'as' binding form for more readable naming and identifier shadowing
- pict and slideshow upgrades include ~label_as, ~as_rebuilt, and slide_transition
Why It Matters
For language tinkerers and Racket users, Rhombus 1.1 simplifies metaprogramming, making custom syntax accessible to more programmers.