High-level semantics: An integrated approach to programming language semantics and the specification of implementations

Abstract

In the course of implementing a semantics directed compiler generator we have developed high-level semantics, a new style of semantic definition which overcomes fundamental problems concerning the specification techniques used in traditional denotational semantics. In the past, these problems have precluded the generation of realistic compilers from traditional denotational specifications. By contrast, high-level semantic specifications are suitable for both defining the functional semantics of programming languages, and describing realistic compiler implementations which are automatically generated from the semantics. In an earlier paper we described the MESS system, a prototype implementation of a compiler generator incorporating the principles of high-level semantics. Here, we summarize the salient characteristics of our methodology. A comprehensive overview of high-level semantics and the MESS compiler generator can be found in the dissertation of the second author.