We build software
that ships.
Lambda Symbolics is a product studio with a hacker mindset and Common Lisp precision. We focus on fewer things and build them exceptionally well. No committees, no bloat, no compromises.
01 / Product
Hiisi
AI-powered translation meets spaced repetition. Language learning that respects your time and actually works.
Dual-Backend Architecture
Rust for authentication and payments. Common Lisp for core logic and UI. Each language where it excels.
13 Target Languages
Translate between any pair of supported languages with Claude-powered contextual translations and grammar notes.
SM-2 Spaced Repetition
Bookmark translations as flashcards. The SM-2 algorithm schedules reviews at optimal intervals for long-term retention.
Fast Translation Flow
No app-hopping. Translate, review, and learn in one focused workflow. Built to keep you in flow state.
02 / Stack
Built Different
We pick tools for their strengths, not their popularity. Our stack is unconventional because conventional stacks produce conventional results.
Common Lisp
Core application logic, translation engine, flashcard system, and server-rendered UI with HSX templates. SBCL provides native compilation and a live REPL for rapid development.
Rust
Authentication, payments, email delivery, static assets, and background tasks. Rocket framework with Diesel ORM. Memory safety and fearless concurrency where it matters most.
Claude API
Contextual translations with grammar notes, word forms, and usage examples. Not a wrapper around Google Translate. Real linguistic analysis powered by Claude.
SQLite
Shared database accessed by both backends. Simple, fast, zero-config. Diesel migrations keep the schema versioned. No unnecessary infrastructure complexity.
HTMX
Server-rendered HTML with surgical DOM updates. No JavaScript framework, no virtual DOM, no bundle size anxiety. Hypermedia as the engine of application state.
Sozu Proxy
Hot-reloadable reverse proxy routing traffic between the Rust and Lisp backends. Zero-downtime deployments and upgrades built into the architecture.
03 / Coming Soon
Rust Course
A practical, business-grade Rust training designed for engineers who want strong fundamentals, not toy projects.
What to Expect
- Ownership, borrowing, and lifetimes explained through real production patterns
- Error handling strategies that scale beyond tutorial-level code
- Async Rust: tokio, futures, and practical concurrency
- Building web services with Rocket, Axum, or Actix
- Database access with Diesel and SQLx
- Testing strategies for systems-level code
- Interop with C, Common Lisp, and other languages
$ course --status
curriculum: in development
format: text + exercises + projects
level: intermediate to advanced
prereqs: some programming experience
price: TBD
$ _
04 / About
Lambda Symbolics OU
Lambda Symbolics is a one-person product studio registered in Estonia, led by Lukas Hozda. The philosophy is simple: build fewer things, but build them exceptionally well.
We believe the best software comes from small teams with strong opinions and deep technical skill. We use Common Lisp not because it is trendy, but because it is powerful. We use Rust not because everyone does, but because memory safety matters when your users trust you with their data.
Every architectural decision serves a purpose. Every line of code is written to last. No frameworks-of-the-week, no hype-driven development, no technical debt accepted as normal.
Ship Real Things
Products, not prototypes. Working software that people use every day.
Choose Boring Where It Counts
SQLite over Postgres clusters. Server rendering over SPA frameworks. Simplicity is a feature.
Choose Weird Where It Matters
Common Lisp in production. Dual-backend architecture. Unconventional choices that deliver unconventional results.
No Compromise on Quality
No TODOs in production. No "good enough for now." Every feature ships complete or not at all.
05 / Contact
Get in Touch
Interested in Hiisi, the Rust course, or working together?