# Homoiconicity

> The degree to which a language represents its programs in its own data structures, so programs can be inspected and transformed as data.

Record: `architecture:homoiconicity`
Kind: quality-attribute
Layer: [Declarative Core](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/declarative-core.md)
Severity: contextual
Scope: language, metaprogramming
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology#architecture-homoiconicity

Listed in [Architecture principles](https://banes-lab.com/api/records/architecture.md), after [Manifest-Based Design](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/manifest-based-design.md) and before [Code as Data](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/code-as-data.md).

## Repair

- Refactored by: Use AST/DSL/Macro Representation
- Detected by: language capability check
- Violated by: code transformed as strings where the language offers a code-as-data form
- Measured by: macro/code-as-data usage
- Enforced by: language/tooling constraints

## Requires

- [Code-as-Data Representation](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/code-as-data-representation.md)

## Reinforces

- [Metaprogramming](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/metaprogramming.md)

## Enables

- [Macro Systems](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/macro-systems.md)
- [DSLs](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/dsls.md)

## Conflicts with

- [Opaque Syntax Trees](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/opaque-syntax-trees.md)

## In tension with

- [Readability](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/readability.md)

## Tensions

- [Homoiconicity / Readability](https://banes-lab.com/records/tension/homoiconicity-readability.md)

## Severity

- [contextual](https://banes-lab.com/records/vocabulary/severity-contextual.md)

## Category

- [Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture-category/metaprogramming-language-oriented-architecture.md)

## Reinforced by

- [Code as Data](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/code-as-data.md)

## Linked from

- [Every record has a kind](https://banes-lab.com/software-architecture/principles/every-record-has-a-kind.md)
- [The structural domain](https://banes-lab.com/software-architecture/principles/the-structural-domain.md)
- [The principle architecture](https://banes-lab.com/software-architecture/glossary/the-principle-architecture.md)
- [Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-metaprogramming-language-oriented-architecture.md)
- [Core Vocabulary](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon/lexicon-category-core-vocabulary.md)
- [Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon/lexicon-category-metaprogramming-language-oriented-architecture.md)
- [Quality Attributes](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon/lexicon-category-quality-attributes.md)
- [Severity levels](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/schema/the-vocabulary-severity.md)
- [The resolutions](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/schema/the-resolutions.md)