WG211/M16Visser

Scopes Describe Frames: A Uniform Model for Memory Layout in Dynamic Semantics

Joint work with Casper Bach Poulsen, Pierre Neron, Andrew Tolmach, Eelco Visser

Abstract: Semantic specifications do not make a systematic connection between the names and scopes in the static structure of a program and memory layout, and access during its execution. In this paper, we introduce a systematic approach to the alignment of names in static semantics and memory in dynamic semantics, building on the scope graph framework for name resolution. We develop a uniform memory model consisting of frames that instantiate the scopes in the scope graph of a program. This provides a language-independent correspondence between static scopes and run-time memory layout, and between static resolution paths and run-time memory access paths. The approach scales to a range of binding features, supports straightforward type soundness proofs, and provides the basis for a language-independent specification of sound reachability-based garbage collection.

http://swerl.tudelft.nl/twiki/pub/Main/TechnicalReports/TUD-SERG-2016-010.pdf