a package object.

the COMMON-LISP-USER package.

Whatever package object is currently the value of *package* is referred to as the current package.

 (in-package "COMMON-LISP-USER") → #<PACKAGE "COMMON-LISP-USER"> 
 *package* → #<PACKAGE "COMMON-LISP-USER"> 
 (make-package "SAMPLE-PACKAGE" :use '("COMMON-LISP")) 
→ #<PACKAGE "SAMPLE-PACKAGE"> 
 (list 
   (symbol-package 
     (let ((*package* (find-package 'sample-package))) 
       (setq *some-symbol* (read-from-string "just-testing")))) 
   *package*) 
→ (#<PACKAGE "SAMPLE-PACKAGE"> #<PACKAGE "COMMON-LISP-USER">) 
 (list (symbol-package (read-from-string "just-testing")) 
       *package*) 
→ (#<PACKAGE "COMMON-LISP-USER"> #<PACKAGE "COMMON-LISP-USER">) 
 (eq 'foo (intern "FOO")) → true 
 (eq 'foo (let ((*package* (find-package 'sample-package))) 
            (intern "FOO"))) 
→ false

load, compile-file, in-package

compile-file, in-package, load, package