Call with current continuation

/kɔl wɪð ˈkɜrənt kənˌtɪnjuˈeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A control flow operator that captures the current execution context as a first-class continuation object, allowing programs to jump to that point later. It provides the ability to implement complex control structures like exceptions, coroutines, and backtracking.

Etymology

Introduced in Scheme in the 1970s, often abbreviated as call/cc. The term combines 'call' (invoke) with 'current continuation' (the computation that would normally happen after this point). It represents a fundamental operation in continuation-based semantics, making the implicit control stack explicit and manipulable.

Kelly Says

Call/cc is like having a bookmark that remembers not just where you are in a book, but your entire mental state while reading - your thoughts, context, everything! You can jump to any bookmark and continue exactly where you left off, which is why it's called the 'goto of functional programming' - incredibly powerful but can make code very hard to follow.

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