Versatile language semantics with reflective embedding

Abstract

Often, for one programming language, various implementations exist that have subtle but important variations in their syntax and semantics. While current technology provides good support for syntax variability in form of syntax extensions, there is only limited support for semantic variability in language implementations. My thesis is about a novel approach for adaptable language implementations that uses a meta-object protocol to embed language abstractions into the host language and that uses reflective techniques to adapt the language implementation. The techniques developed in my thesis open up several possibilities for adaptation in language implementations not addressed by related work. Similarly to the role of a meta-object protocol in general-purpose languages for adapting object-oriented abstractions, the meta-object protocol allows to adapt language abstractions of advanced language features, such as the abstractions of aspect-oriented programming and domain abstractions in domain-specific languages.