Semantics of programming languages: A tool-oriented approach

By paying more attention to semantics-based tool generation, programming language semantics can significantly increase its impact. Ultimately, this may lead to "Language Design Assistants" incorporating substantial mounts of semantic knowledge. 1 The Role of Programming Language Semantics Programming language semantics has lost touch with large groups of potential users [39]. Among the reasons for this unfortunate state of affairs, one stands out. Semantic results are rarely incorporated in practical systems that would help language designers to implement and test a language under develop-ment, or assist programmers in answering their questions about the meaning of some language feature not properly documented in the language's reference manual. Nevertheless, uch systems are potentially more effective in bringing semantics-based formalisms and techniques to the places they are needed than their dissemination i publications, courses, or even exemplary (but little-used) programming languages. The current situation in which semantics, languages, and tools are drifting steadily further apart is shown in Figure 1. The tool-oriented approach to semantics aims at making semantics definitions more useful and productive by generating as many language-based tools from them as possible. This will, we expect, reverse the current trend as shown in Figure 2. The goal is to produce semantically well