# geiser-chicken > support for using CHICKEN in Geiser **Wikidata**: [Q108039936](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108039936) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/geiser-chicken ## Summary Geiser-chicken is a free software package that provides support for using CHICKEN, a Scheme-based programming language implementation, within the Geiser environment for GNU Emacs. Written in Emacs Lisp and released under the 3-clause BSD License, it serves as a bridge between the CHICKEN Scheme compiler and the Geiser development environment, enabling interactive Scheme programming within Emacs. ## Key Facts - **Latest stable version**: 0.17, released on December 4, 2021 - **License**: 3-clause BSD License - **Part of**: Geiser Project - **Platform**: GNU Emacs - **Programming language**: Emacs Lisp - **Previous stable version**: 0.16, released on August 7, 2021 - **Classification**: Free software (copyrighted) - **Gentoo package name**: app-emacs/geiser-chicken - **Aliases**: emacs-geiser-chicken, Geiser-Chicken - **Source repository**: https://gitlab.com/emacs-geiser/chicken.git ## FAQs ### Q: What is geiser-chicken used for? Geiser-chicken enables developers to use the CHICKEN Scheme implementation within the Geiser environment on GNU Emacs. It provides interactive development capabilities for CHICKEN programmers working within Emacs. ### Q: Where can I download geiser-chicken? Geiser-chicken is available through the Emacs Lisp Package Archive (ELPA) at https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/geiser-chicken.html, and the source code is hosted on GitLab at https://gitlab.com/emacs-geiser/chicken. ### Q: What license does geiser-chicken use? Geiser-chicken is released under the 3-clause BSD License, which allows users to freely run, study, change, and distribute the software and modified versions. ## Why It Matters Geiser-chicken plays a significant role in the Scheme programming ecosystem by bridging CHICKEN—a practical and efficient Scheme implementation—with Geiser, the premier interactive development environment for Scheme in GNU Emacs. This integration matters because it brings together two powerful tools: CHICKEN's ability to compile Scheme to efficient C code, and Geiser's REPL-driven development workflow that Scheme programmers rely on for interactive coding. For developers working in the functional programming paradigm, this package removes a significant barrier to entry by making CHICKEN a first-class citizen within the Emacs-Scheme development workflow. As part of the broader Geiser Project, geiser-chicken extends the reach of interactive Scheme development to CHICKEN users, who might otherwise lack tight editor integration. This is particularly valuable given CHICKEN's longevity (inception: July 20, 2000) and its active user base in both educational and production environments. The package's availability through both ELPA and as a Gentoo package (app-emacs/geiser-chicken) further demonstrates its integration into mainstream software distribution channels. ## Notable For - **Part of a modular ecosystem**: Geiser-chicken is a specialized component of the Geiser Project, which uses a modular architecture to support multiple Scheme implementations - **Free software with permissive licensing**: Released under the 3-clause BSD License, allowing broad freedom for use, modification, and redistribution - **Dual distribution channels**: Available through both the non-GNU ELPA package archive and as a Gentoo Linux package - **Active maintenance**: Received two stable releases in 2021 (versions 0.16 and 0.17), indicating ongoing development - **GitLab-hosted development**: Source code and issue tracking managed through GitLab, providing transparent development workflow ## Body ### Technical Specifications Geiser-chicken is implemented in Emacs Lisp, the extension language of GNU Emacs. The package targets the GNU Emacs platform and integrates specifically with the Geiser Project to provide CHICKEN Scheme support. ### Version History The package has seen regular maintenance with documented releases: - **Version 0.17** (December 4, 2021): The latest stable release, marked as the preferred version - **Version 0.16** (August 7, 2021): Previous stable release, available as a downloadable tar.lz archive from ELPA Both versions were announced on the GNU Emacs sources mailing list, providing official release documentation. ### Distribution and Availability Geiser-chicken is distributed through multiple channels: - **Non-GNU ELPA**: The package is available at https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/geiser-chicken.html, catering to end users and programmers - **Gentoo Linux**: Packaged as `app-emacs/geiser-chicken` for Gentoo users - **Source Repository**: Hosted on GitLab at https://gitlab.com/emacs-geiser/chicken with public access to the codebase ### Related Technologies The package operates within a specific technology ecosystem: - **CHICKEN**: The target Scheme implementation (inception: July 20, 2000) - **Emacs Lisp**: The implementation language (inception: 1985) - **GNU Emacs**: The host platform - **Geiser**: The parent project providing the interactive development framework ### Licensing and Copyright Geiser-chicken is classified as both free software and copyrighted material. The 3-clause BSD License provides users the right to freely run, study, change, and distribute the software and any modified versions, aligning with the broader free software movement. ## References 1. [Geiser-Chicken version 0.16. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-08/msg00020.html) 2. [Geiser-Chicken version 0.17. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-12/msg00012.html)