A self-applicable partial evaluator for term rewriting systems

Abstract

This paper describes a fully self-applicable partial evaluator developed for equational programs in the form of term rewriting systems. Being self-applicable, the partial evaluator is able to generate efficient compilers from interpreters as well as a compiler generator automatically. Earlier work in partial evaluation of term rewriting systems has not achieved self-applicability due to the problem of partially evaluating pattern matching. This problem is overcome by developing an intermediate language for being able to express pattern matching at an appropriate level of abstraction. We describe the intermediate language and partial evaluation of it. Binding time analysis, a well-known preprocessing technique, is used. We introduce further preprocessing to deal efficiently with our intermediate language. The system has been implemented and compilers for small languages as well as a compiler generator have been generated with satisfactory results.