# macro/quote Build code from a template while preserving `$param` references as literal symbols. Use `[macro/unquote ...]` inside to selectively substitute parameters. `macro/quote` is the primary building block for code generation in macros. Outside macros it yields the template as an SExpr value — reach for it when a macro needs to emit brand-new code (rather than just splicing arguments into existing code). ## Syntax

[macro/quote expr]

`expr` is preserved literally. `$param` references inside it are not substituted (unlike a plain macro body). `[macro/unquote $param]` is the escape hatch. ## Behaviour | Form | `$param` substituted? | |------|----------------------| | `[macro/quote ...]` | No — preserved as literal symbol | | `[macro/quote ... [macro/unquote $x] ...]` | Yes, inside the unquote only | | `[macro/syntax-quote ...]` | Yes (substituted normally) + bare symbols gensym'd | | plain macro body | Yes | The quoted body becomes the macro's expansion and is compiled in place at the call site. ## Example

defmacro unless {|cond body|
    [macro/quote [if [macro/unquote $cond] nil [macro/unquote $body]]]
}

[unless false { echo "ran" }]
# expands to: [if false nil { echo "ran" }]
# => prints "ran"

Without `macro/quote`, every `$param` in the body would be substituted directly. `macro/quote` defers that — only `[macro/unquote ...]` escapes back to substitution, letting you mix literal structure with parameter values. ## Important: use `[...]`, not `(...)` Deft's bare `( ... )` parens are infix-only (e.g. `($a + $b)`). `(macro/unquote $x)` is a syntax error. Always use brackets: `[macro/unquote $x]`. ## When to reach for macro/quote - You're building new code from scratch (control structures, DSLs). - You want a `$param` reference to survive into the expansion as a literal symbol (resolved against the caller's scope at runtime). For most macros — where you just splice `$param` into existing code — direct substitution is enough; no `macro/quote` needed. ## See Also `macro/syntax-quote`, `macro/unquote`, `macro/splice`, `begin`, `defmacro`