Article

Embedding languages without breaking tools

Authors:

Oscar NierstraszAuthors Info & Claims

ECOOP'10: Proceedings of the 24th European conference on Object-oriented programming

Pages 380 - 404

Published: 21 June 2010 Publication History

Abstract

Domain-specific languages (DSLs) are increasingly used as embedded languages within general-purpose host languages. DSLs provide a compact, dedicated syntax for specifying parts of an application related to specialized domains. Unfortunately, such language extensions typically do not integrate well with the development tools of the host language. Editors, compilers and debuggers are either unaware of the extensions, or must be adapted at a non-trivial cost. We present a novel approach to embed DSLs into an existing host language by leveraging the underlying representation of the host language used by these tools. Helvetia is an extensible system that intercepts the compilation pipeline of the Smalltalk host language to seamlessly integrate language extensions. We validate our approach by case studies that demonstrate three fundamentally different ways to extend or adapt the host language syntax and semantics.

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Published In

cover image ACM Other conferences

ECOOP'10: Proceedings of the 24th European conference on Object-oriented programming

June 2010

599 pages

ISBN:3642141064

Editor:
Theo D'Hondt
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Software Languages Lab, Brussels, Belgium

Sponsors

Google Inc.

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Springer-Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg

Publication History

Published: 21 June 2010

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Cited By

Niephaus FFelgentreff TPape THirschfeld R(2017)Squeak Makes a Good Python DebuggerCompanion Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on the Art, Science, and Engineering of Programming10.1145/3079368.3079402(1-8)Online publication date: 3-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3079368.3079402
Niephaus F(2017)Towards A Squeak/Smalltalk-based Python IDECompanion Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on the Art, Science, and Engineering of Programming10.1145/3079368.3079370(1-2)Online publication date: 3-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3079368.3079370
Nierstrasz O(2016)The Death of Object-Oriented ProgrammingProceedings of the 19th International Conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering - Volume 963310.5555/3089458.3089460(3-10)Online publication date: 2-Apr-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/3089458.3089460
Kruck BLehmann SKeßler CReschke JFelgentreff TLincke JHirschfeld RFuentes LBatory DCzarnecki K(2016)Multi-level debugging for interpreter developersCompanion Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Modularity10.1145/2892664.2892679(91-93)Online publication date: 14-Mar-2016
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Voelter MDeursen AKolb BEberle S(2015)Using C language extensions for developing embedded software: a case studyACM SIGPLAN Notices10.1145/2858965.281427650:10(655-674)Online publication date: 23-Oct-2015
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Voelter MDeursen AKolb BEberle SAldrich JEugster P(2015)Using C language extensions for developing embedded software: a case studyProceedings of the 2015 ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications10.1145/2814270.2814276(655-674)Online publication date: 23-Oct-2015
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Fabry JDinkelaker TNoyé JTanter É(2015)A Taxonomy of Domain-Specific Aspect LanguagesACM Computing Surveys10.1145/268502847:3(1-44)Online publication date: 17-Feb-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2685028
Bissyandé TRéveillère LLawall JBromberg YMuller G(2015)Implementing an embedded compiler using program transformation rulesSoftware—Practice & Experience10.1002/spe.222545:2(177-196)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1002/spe.2225
Deantoni JBrun CCaillaud BFrance RKarsai GNierstrasz OSyriani E(2014)Domain GlobalizationRevised Papers of the International Dagstuhl Seminar on Globalizing Domain-Specific Languages - Volume 940010.5555/2950284.2950289(70-87)Online publication date: 5-Oct-2014
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Mernik M(2013)An object-oriented approach to language compositions for software language engineeringJournal of Systems and Software10.1016/j.jss.2013.04.08786:9(2451-2464)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2013
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