Writing web applications in Clojure
Functional Web
Clojure looks like Lisp and runs wherever Java is installed. Practical tools and sophisticated libraries provide the underpinnings for rapid development of modern web applications.
Clojure [1] made its first appearance in the software landscape in 2007. The functional programming language combines Lisp-like syntax with an implementation on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Within a few years, a Clojure community with user groups [2] and conferences (e.g., Clojure West [3] and Clojure/conj [4]) has been established.
An extensive ecosystem of libraries has emerged for the language, which is released under the Eclipse Public License. Clojure benefits from its Java origins, which lets it share the VM with Java and JRuby, and impresses with abstraction over concurrency [5] on multiprocessor systems. The name evokes the closure programming concept, with the "j" coming from Java.
Clojure advocates are enthusiastic about the improved productivity this expression-rich language permits. I strongly encourage you to take a look at an essay by Lisp advocate and entrepreneur Paul Graham [6] that describes the implications of the advantages Lisp programming confers, leading some Internet startups to focus on the language they use in large web applications. In this article, I show you how to use Clojure to implement a simple chat for the web browser (Figure 1).
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
-
Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
-
China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.