DML-a meta-language and system for the generation of practical and efficient compilers from denotational specifications

DML (Denotational Meta Language) is a specification language and a compiler generation tool for producing practical and efficient compilers from denotational semantics specifications. This means that code emitted from generated compilers should be product quality, and that generated compilers should have reasonable compilation speed and interface well with standard front-ends and back-ends. To achieve this goal, the DML system contains: a general algorithm for producing efficient quadruple code from continuation semantics of Algol-like languages, and enhancements in the DML specification language with BNF rules for abstract syntax declarations and semantic brackets with inline concrete syntax and pattern matching for readable and concise semantic equations. Generated quadrupole code is fed into a standard optimizing back-end to obtain high-quality target code. The DML system generates efficient compilers in C and contains a foreign language interface for communication, e.g. with parsers or optimizing back-ends. DML is a superset of Standard ML and uses applicative order semantics, i.e. call by value, for reasons of efficiency