Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

4-2016

Abstract

A number of novel programming languages and libraries have been proposed that offer simpler-to-use models of concurrency than threads. It is challenging, however, to devise execution models that successfully realise their abstractions without forfeiting performance or introducing unintended behaviours. This is exemplified by Scoop—a concurrent object-oriented message-passing language—which has seen multiple semantics proposed and implemented over its evolution. We propose a “semantics workbench” with fully and semi-automatic tools for Scoop, that can be used to analyse and compare programs with respect to different execution models. We demonstrate its use in checking the consistency of semantics by applying it to a set of representative programs, and highlighting a deadlock-related discrepancy between the principal execution models of the language. Our workbench is based on a modular and parameterisable graph transformation semantics implemented in the Groove tool. We discuss how graph transformations are leveraged to atomically model intricate language abstractions, and how the visual yet algebraic nature of the model can be used to ascertain soundness.

Discipline

Programming Languages and Compilers | Software Engineering

Research Areas

Software and Cyber-Physical Systems

Publication

Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering (FASE 2016), Eindhoven, Netherlands, April 2-8

Volume

9633

First Page

31

Last Page

48

ISBN

9783662496640

Identifier

10.1007/978-3-662-49665-7_3

Publisher

Springer

City or Country

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49665-7_3

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