2.5 Variable References and #%top

syntax
id

Refers to a module-level or local binding, when id is not bound as a transformer (see Expansion (Parsing)). At run-time, the reference evaluates to the value in the location associated with the binding.

When the expander encounters an id that is not bound by a module-level or local binding, it converts the expression to (#%top . id) giving #%top the lexical context of the id; typically, that context refers to #%top. See also Expansion Steps.

Examples:
> (define x 10)
> x
10
> (let ([x 5]) x)
5
> ((lambda (x) x) 2)
2

syntax
(#%top . id)

Refers to a module-level or top-level definition that could bind id, even if id has a local binding in its context.

Within a module form, (#%top . id) expands to just id—with the obligation that id is defined within the module. At phase level 0, (#%top . id) is an immediate syntax error if id is not bound. At phase level 1 and higher, a syntax error is reported if id is not defined at the corresponding phase by the end of module-body partial expansion.

See also Expansion Steps for information on how the expander introduces #%top identifiers.

Examples:
> (define x 12)
> (let ([x 5]) (#%top . x))
12

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1	Language Model
2	Syntactic Forms
3	Datatypes
4	Structures
5	Classes and Objects
6	Units
7	Contracts
8	Pattern Matching
9	Control Flow
10	Concurrency and Parallelism
11	Macros
12	Input and Output
13	Reflection and Security
14	Operating System
15	Memory Management
16	Unsafe Operations
17	Running Racket
	Bibliography
	Index

2.1	Modules: module, module*, ...
2.2	Importing and Exporting: require and provide
2.3	Literals: quote and #%datum
2.4	Expression Wrapper: #%expression
2.5	Variable References and #%top
2.6	Locations: #%variable-reference
2.7	Procedure Applications and #%app
2.8	Procedure Expressions: lambda and case-lambda
2.9	Local Binding: let, let*, letrec, ...
2.10	Local Definitions: local
2.11	Constructing Graphs: shared
2.12	Conditionals: if, cond, and, and or
2.13	Dispatch: case
2.14	Definitions: define, define-syntax, ...
2.15	Sequencing: begin, begin0, and begin-for-syntax
2.16	Guarded Evaluation: when and unless
2.17	Assignment: set! and set!-values
2.18	Iterations and Comprehensions: for, for/ list, ...
2.19	Continuation Marks: with-continuation-mark
2.20	Quasiquoting: quasiquote, unquote, and unquote-splicing
2.21	Syntax Quoting: quote-syntax
2.22	Interaction Wrapper: #%top-interaction
2.23	Limiting Scope: define-package, open-package, ...
2.24	Blocks: block
2.25	Internal-Definition Limiting: #%stratified-body
2.26	Performance Hints: begin-encourage-inline