The denotational and static semantics of a domain-specific language for flow-network design
Date
2011-07-11
DOI
Authors
Kfoury, Assaf
Version
OA Version
Citation
Kfoury, Assaf. "The Denotational and Static Semantics of a Domain-Specific Language for Flow-Network Design", Technical Report BUCS-TR-2011-017, Computer Science Department, Boston University, July 11, 2011. [Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/2144/11374]
Abstract
Flow networks are inductively defined, assembled from small network modules to produce arbitrarily large ones, with interchangeable and expanding functionally-equivalent parts. We carry out this induction formally using a domain-specific language (DSL). Associated with our DSL is a typing system (or static semantics), a system of formal annotations that enforce desirable properties of flow networks as invariants across their interfaces. A prerequisite for a type theory is a formal semantics, i.e., a rigorous definition of the entities that qualify as feasible flows through the networks, possibly restricted to satisfy additional efficiency or safety requirements. We carry out this via a denotational semantics.