A method and a language for constructing iterative programs

AbstractThis paper proposes a programming method whose main idea is to give a simple static solution to a problem, taking execution details into account afterwards. The method proposes the following approach to the user: first, the result is defined concisely using a definition scheme, which introduces a number of intermediate objects. These intermediate objects characterise subproblems which have to be solved. This process is repeated recursively on these intermediate objects, until finally the data of the problem are introduced. The support language for the method is static and uses ‘sequences’ as a basic data type.In a second paper we tackle the problem which Jackson terms ‘structure clashes’. The same method is used, taking account of efficiency considerations. Such considerations lead to the introduction of program transformation rules