Paradigms for Attribute-Grammar-Based Language Implementation

Jukka Paakki: Paradigms for Attribute-Grammar-Based Language Implementation. PhD Thesis, Report A-1991-1, Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, 1991. 71+146 pages. <http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/TR/A-1991/1>

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Abstract

Attribute grammars are a formalism for specifying and implementing programming languages. Methods and techniques are presented expressing attribute grammars themselves as a language. These methods are based on relating attribute grammars with programming paradigms. The presented formalisms are classified as structured, object-oriented, functional, logic, and concurrent attribute grammars. The characteristics of these attribute grammar paradigms are reviewed and analyzed. The central results of seven self-standing papers are summarized. These papers discuss empirically and theoretically the practical significance of relating the nonterminal concept of attribute grammars with the block concept of programming languages, the nonterminal concept with the class concept, and the attribute concept with the logical variable concept. Accordingly, structured, object-oriented, and logic attribute grammars are emphasized.

Index Terms

Categories and Subject Descriptors:
D.3.4, D.3.1, D.3.3., D.2.2, F.4.1, D.1.1

General Terms: Languages, Theory, Design

Additional Key Words and Phrases: attribute grammars, programming paradigms, language processing