The integrated cross-platform development tool for ANSI Common Lisp LispWorks logo

Runtimes

LispWorks can build your application as an executable.

LispWorks can also build a dynamic library or DLL on most platforms.

This process is called 'delivery' and the generated image is a 'delivered application' or 'runtime'.

Benefits

LispWorks runtimes are:

  • Smaller, because delivery removes unused code.
  • Faster, because delivery optimizes some code, and because the smaller size reduces paging.
  • Free of license fees on most platforms.

Products including delivery

LispWorks Professional Edition and LispWorks Enterprise Edition both include delivery. You do not pay runtime license fees. This applies to LispWorks for Windows, LispWorks for Linux, LispWorks for Macintosh, LispWorks for x86/x64 Solaris, LispWorks for FreeBSD and LispWorks (64-bit) for Solaris.

LispWorks Personal Edition does not include delivery.

LispWorks (32-bit) for HP-UX and LispWorks (32-bit) for SPARC Solaris support delivery as an add-on. See here for licensing details.

Platforms supporting delivery

Executables can be built for all LispWorks platforms. You can build a Mac OS X universal binary executable with LispWorks for Macintosh.

Dynamic libraries can be built on Microsoft Windows (.dll), Intel Macintosh (.dylib), Linux, x86/x64 Solaris and FreeBSD (.so).

There is no cross-platform delivery capability. You need at least one LispWorks development license for each target platform.

System requirements for runtimes

Your runtime runs on any system that LispWorks itself supports. The runtime may also support older hardware: see the full processor and software requirements for details.

What is removed?

Delivery removes code which is not used by your application.

Also, the following general Lisp development functionality is forcibly removed:

  • compile-file
  • save-image
  • deliver
  • The graphical LispWorks IDE
Contact if you want to build an application which uses these features.

Size of runtime images

32-bit LispWorks generates 32-bit runtimes, and 64-bit LispWorks generates 64-bit runtimes.

A 32-bit 'Hello World' console application can be as small as 3-4MB on disk, depending on platform. A graphical 'Hello World' built with CAPI is about 2MB larger.

A 64-bit 'Hello World' console application can be as small as 6.5-7.5MB on disk, depending on platform. A graphical 'Hello World' built with CAPI is about 3MB larger.

How you generate a runtime

First you develop, test and debug your program using LispWorks. At this stage all the features of Common Lisp and the LispWorks development tools are available to you.

Then you create a script which loads your compiled program and calls the function deliver, and you run this script in a fresh LispWorks session. See the Delivery User Guide for full documentation.

You can use the Application Builder tool to simplify this process.

The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Microsoft Windows. The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Microsoft Windows.
Click image to enlarge.
  
  
The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Mac OS X/Cocoa. The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Mac OS X/Cocoa.
Click image to enlarge.
  
  
The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Linux/GTK+. The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Linux/GTK+.
Click image to enlarge.
  
  
The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Linux/X11 Motif. The Application Builder tool with Hello World source code and runtime application on Linux/X11 Motif.
Click image to enlarge.

Further Information

If you need further information about LispWorks Application Delivery, please send e-mail to .

Top | Back