Steps towards scenario-based programming with a natural language interface

Abstract

Programming, i.e., the act of creating a runnable artifact applicable to multiple inputs/tasks, is an art that requires substantial knowledge of programming languages and development techniques. As the use of software is becoming far more prevalent in all aspects of life, programming has changed and the need to program has become relevant to a much broader community. In the interest of broadening the pool of potential programmers, we believe that a natural language interface to an intuitive programming language may have a major role to play. In this paper, we discuss recent work on carrying out scenario-based programming directly in a controlled natural language, and sketch possible future directions. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.