ASDF, Another System Definition Facility, is a tool to automate the compilation and loading of complex Common Lisp systems. I've recently converted all of my system definition files from the venerable mk-defsystem 3.3 to ASDF.
I've been quite happy with the results. Especially now that I've added ASDF support to Common Lisp Controller (CLC). Rather than having to struggle with supporting logical pathnames on multiple Lisp implementations, the ASDF files with CLC don't have to embed any pathname at all.
This also eliminates the difference between a CLC'd package and a non-CLC'd package. Previously, a CLC'd package had to put the location of the CLC root directory in the system definition file. Thus, the one needed a different system definition file for a CLC and non-CLC package location. Now, with ASDF files, that is not necessary. The same .asd file can work from both inside and outside of CLC. This is good.
