Difference between SET, SETQ and SETF in LISP

SET  can set the value of  symbols ;

 

SETQ  can set the value of  variables ;

 

SETF  is a  macro  that will call different function depending on what was called as its first argument.

 

examples

 

(set (quote l) '(1 2 3))

(1 2 3)

 

 

(set l '(1 2 3))

Failure, l must be a symbol.

 

 

(set 'l '(1 2 3))

(1 2 3)

 

 

(setq l '(1 2 3))

(1 2 3)

 

 

(setq (car l) 10)

Failure.

 

 

(setf l '(1 2 3))

(1 2 3)

 

 

(setf (car l) 10)

 

l is (10 2 3)