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(elisp)List-related Predicates

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Predicates on Lists
===================

   The following predicates test whether a Lisp object is an atom, is a
cons cell or is a list, or whether it is the distinguished object
`nil'.  (Many of these predicates can be defined in terms of the
others, but they are used so often that it is worth having all of them.)

 - Function: consp object
     This function returns `t' if OBJECT is a cons cell, `nil'
     otherwise.  `nil' is not a cons cell, although it _is_ a list.

 - Function: atom object
     This function returns `t' if OBJECT is an atom, `nil' otherwise.
     All objects except cons cells are atoms.  The symbol `nil' is an
     atom and is also a list; it is the only Lisp object that is both.

          (atom OBJECT) == (not (consp OBJECT))

 - Function: listp object
     This function returns `t' if OBJECT is a cons cell or `nil'.
     Otherwise, it returns `nil'.

          (listp '(1))
               => t
          (listp '())
               => t

 - Function: nlistp object
     This function is the opposite of `listp': it returns `t' if OBJECT
     is not a list.  Otherwise, it returns `nil'.

          (listp OBJECT) == (not (nlistp OBJECT))

 - Function: null object
     This function returns `t' if OBJECT is `nil', and returns `nil'
     otherwise.  This function is identical to `not', but as a matter
     of clarity we use `null' when OBJECT is considered a list and
     `not' when it is considered a truth value (see `not' in Note:
     Combining Conditions).

          (null '(1))
               => nil
          (null '())
               => t