2.1 Modules: module, ...

The module Form in The Racket Guide introduces module.

For a module-like form for use within modules and other contexts, see define-package.

The module-path form must be as for require, and it supplies the initial bindings for the body forms. That is, it is treated like a (require module-path) prefix before the forms, except that the bindings introduced by module-path can be shadowed by definitions and requires in the module body forms.

If a single form is provided, then it is partially expanded in a module-begin context. If the expansion leads to #%plain-module-begin, then the body of the #%plain-module-begin is the body of the module. If partial expansion leads to any other primitive form, then the form is wrapped with #%module-begin using the lexical context of the module body; this identifier must be bound by the initial module-path import, and its expansion must produce a #%plain-module-begin to supply the module body. Finally, if multiple forms are provided, they are wrapped with #%module-begin, as in the case where a single form does not expand to #%plain-module-begin.

After such wrapping, if any, and before any expansion, an 'enclosing-module-name property is attached to the #%module-begin syntax object (see Syntax Object Properties); the property’s value is a symbol corresponding to id.

Each form is partially expanded (see Partial Expansion) in a module context. Further action depends on the shape of the form:

• If it is a begin form, the sub-forms are flattened out into the module’s body and immediately processed in place of the begin.

• If it is a define-syntaxes or define-values-for-syntax form, then the right-hand side is evaluated (in phase 1), and the binding is immediately installed for further partial expansion within the module. Evaluation of the right-hand side is parameterized to set current-namespace as in let-syntax.

• If the form is a require form, bindings are introduced immediately, and the imported modules are instantiated or visited as appropriate.

• If the form is a provide form, then it is recorded for processing after the rest of the body.

• If the form is a define-values form, then the binding is installed immediately, but the right-hand expression is not expanded further.

• Similarly, if the form is an expression, it is not expanded further.

After all forms have been partially expanded this way, then the remaining expression forms (including those on the right-hand side of a definition) are expanded in an expression context.

The scope of all imported identifiers covers the entire module body, as does the scope of any identifier defined within the module body. The ordering of syntax definitions does not affect the scope of the syntax names; a transformer for A can produce expressions containing B, while the transformer for B produces expressions containing A, regardless of the order of declarations for A and B. However, a syntactic form that produces syntax definitions must be defined before it is used.

No identifier can be imported or defined more than once at any phase level. Every exported identifier must be imported or defined. No expression can refer to a top-level variable.

The evaluation of a module form does not evaluate the expressions in the body of the module. Evaluation merely declares a module, whose full name depends both on id or (current-module-declare-name).

The module body is executed only when the module is explicitly instantiated via require or dynamic-require. On invocation, expressions and definitions are evaluated in order as they appear within the module. Each evaluation of an expression or definition is wrapped with a continuation prompt (see call-with-continuation-prompt) for the default continuation and using the default prompt handler.

Accessing a module-level variable before it is defined signals a run-time error, just like accessing an undefined global variable. If a module (in its fully expanded form) does not contain a set! for an identifier that defined within the module, then the identifier is a constant after it is defined; its value cannot be changed afterward, not even through reflective mechanisms. The compile-enforce-module-constants parameter, however, can be used to disable enforcement of constants.

When a syntax object representing a module form has a 'module-language syntax property attached, and when the property value is a vector of three elements where the first is a module path (in the sense of module-path?) and the second is a symbol, then the property value is preserved in the corresponding compiled and/or declared module. The third component of the vector should be printable and readable, so that it can be preserved in marshaled bytecode. The racket/base and racket languages attach '#(racket/language-info get-info #f) to a module form. See also module-compiled-language-info, module->language-info, and racket/language-info.

See also Modules and Module-Level Variables and Module Phases and Visits.

Example:

> (module duck racket/base     (provide num-eggs quack)     (define num-eggs 2)     (define (quack n)       (unless (zero? n)         (printf "quack\n")         (quack (sub1 n)))))

The #%module-begin form of racket/base wraps every top-level expression to print non-#<void> results using current-print.