Generative unbinding of names
Abstract
This paper is concerned with a programming language construct for typed name binding that enforces αequivalence. It proves a new result about what operations on names can co-exist with this construct. The particular form of typed name binding studied is that used by the FreshML family of languages. Its characteristic feature is that a name binding is represented by an abstract (name,value)-pair that may only be deconstructed via the generation of fresh bound names. In FreshML the only observation one can make of names is to test whether or not they are equal. This restricted amount of observation was thought necessary to ensure that there is no observable difference between αequivalent name binders. Yet from an algorithmic point of view it would be desirable to allow other operations and relations on names, such as a total ordering. This paper shows that, contrary to expectations, one may add not just ordering, but almost any relation or numerical function on names without disturbing the fundamental correctness result about this form of typed name binding (that object-level αequivalence precisely corresponds to contextual equivalence at the programming meta-level), so long as one takes the state of dynamically created names into account.
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Generative unbinding of names
POPL '07: Proceedings of the 34th annual ACM SIGPLAN-SIGACT symposium on Principles of programming languagesThis paper is concerned with a programming language construct for typed name binding that enforces αequivalence. It proves a new result about what operations on names can co-exist with this construct. The particular form of typed name binding studied is ...
A fresh look at programming with names and binders
ICFP '10: Proceedings of the 15th ACM SIGPLAN international conference on Functional programmingA wide range of computer programs, including compilers and theorem provers, manipulate data structures that involve names and binding. However, the design of programming idioms which allow performing these manipulations in a safe and natural style has, ...
A fresh look at programming with names and binders
ICFP '10A wide range of computer programs, including compilers and theorem provers, manipulate data structures that involve names and binding. However, the design of programming idioms which allow performing these manipulations in a safe and natural style has, ...
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Publication History
Published: 17 January 2007
Published in SIGPLAN Volume 42, Issue 1
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