Lykn

Computed Access: get

When the property name isn’t known at compile time, use get:

(get obj key)                  ;; → obj[key]
(get arr 0)                    ;; → arr[0]
(get config :name)             ;; → config["name"]
(get data (template "env_" mode))  ;; → data[`env_${mode}`]

obj[key];
arr[0];
config["name"];
data[`env_${mode}`];

When to Use get

get compiles to bracket notation. Use it for:

• Dynamic property names — the key is a variable or expression
• Numeric indices — array element access
• Keyword property access — (get obj :name) produces obj["name"], which is equivalent to obj.name in JavaScript
• Symbol keys — (get obj (Symbol:for "id"))

The Contrast

obj:name is for when you know the property at write time. (get obj key) is for when it depends on a runtime value. Two forms, two use cases, no overlap.

;; Static: you know the property name
user:name                      ;; → user.name

;; Dynamic: the key is a variable
(get user field)               ;; → user[field]

;; Keyword: static name, bracket notation
(get user :name)               ;; → user["name"]

The keyword form — (get obj :name) — is equivalent to obj:name in most cases. It appears in match patterns, assoc/dissoc, and other surface forms where the property name is syntactically a keyword argument.