Paul Downen

Classical call-by-need sequent calculi: the unity of semantic artifacts

We systematically derive a classical call-by-need sequent calculus, which does not require an unbounded search for the standard redex, by using the unity of semantic artifacts proposed by Danvy et al. The calculus serves as an intermediate step toward the generation of an environment-based abstract machine. The resulting abstract machine is context-free, so that each step is parametric in all but one component. The context-free machine elegantly leads to an environment-based CPS transformation. This transformation is observationally different from a natural classical extension of the transformation of Okasaki et al. , due to duplication of un-evaluated bindings.

The Duality of Construction

We explore the duality of construction and deconstruction in the presence of different evaluation strategies. We characterize an evaluation strategy by the notion of substitutability, given by defining what is a value and a co-value, and we present an equational theory that takes the strategy as a parameter. The theory may be extended with new logical connectives, in the form of user-defined data and co-data types, which are duals of one another. Finally, we explore a calculus with composite evaluation strategies that allow for more flexibility over evaluation order by mingling multiple primitive strategies within a single program.

Sequent calculus as a compiler intermediate language

The λ-calculus is popular as an intermediate language for practical compilers. But in the world of logic it has a lesser-known twin, born at the same time, called the sequent calculus. Perhaps that would make for a good intermediate language, too? To explore this question we designed Sequent Core, a practically-oriented core calculus based on the sequent calculus, and used it to re-implement a substantial chunk of the Glasgow Haskell Compiler.

A systematic approach to delimited control with multiple prompts

We formalize delimited control with multiple prompts, in the style of Parigots λμ-calculus, through a series of incremental extensions by starting with the pure λ-calculus. Each language inherits the semantics and reduction theory of its parent, giving a systematic way to describe each level of control.

Compiling without continuations

Many fields of study in compilers give rise to the concept of a join point—a place where different execution paths come together. Join points are often treated as functions or continuations, but we believe it is time to study them in their own right. We show that adding join points to a direct-style functional intermediate language is a simple but powerful change that allows new optimizations to be performed, including a significant improvement to list fusion. Finally, we report on recent work on adding join points to the intermediate language of the Glasgow Haskell Compiler.

Delimited control and computational effects

We give a framework for delimited control with multiple prompts, in the style of Parigots λμ-calculus, through a series of incremental extensions by starting with the pure λ-calculus. Each language inherits the semantics and reduction theory of its parent, giving a systematic way to describe each level of control. For each language of interest, we fully characterize its semantics in terms of a reduction semantics, operational semantics, continuation-passing style transform, and abstract machine. Furthermore, the control operations are expressed in terms of fine-grained primitives that can be used to build well-known, higher-level control operators. In order to illustrate the expressive power provided by various languages, we show how other computational effects can be encoded in terms of these control operators.

Continuations, Processes, and Sharing

Continuation-passing style (CPS) transforms have long been important tools in the study of programming. They have been shown to correspond to abstract machines and, when combined with a naming transform that expresses shared values, they enjoy a direct correspondence with encodings into process calculi such as the π-calculus. We present our notion of correctness and discuss the sufficient conditions that guarantee the correctness of transforms. We then consider the call-by-value, call-by-name and call-by-need evaluation strategies for the λ-calculus and present their CPS transforms, abstract machines, π-encodings, and proofs of correctness. Our analysis covers a uniform CPS transform, which differentiates the three evaluation strategies only by the treatment of function calls. This leads to a new CPS transform for call-by-need requiring a less expressive form of side effect, which we call constructive update.

Compositional semantics for composable continuations: from abortive to delimited control

Parigots λμ-calculus, a system for computational reasoning about classical proofs, serves as a foundation for control operations embodied by operators like Schemes callcc. We demonstrate that the call-by-value theory of the λμ-calculus contains a latent theory of delimited control, and that a known variant of λμ which unshackles the syntax yields a calculus of composable continuations from the existing constructs and rules for classical control. To relate to the various formulations of control effects, and to continuation-passing style, we use a form of compositional program transformations which preserves the underlying structure of equational theories, contexts, and substitution. Finally, we generalize the call-by-name and call-by-value theories of the λμ-calculus by giving a single parametric theory that encompasses both, allowing us to generate a call-by-need instance that defines a calculus of classical and delimited control with lazy evaluation and sharing.

Uniform Strong Normalization for Multi-discipline Calculi

Modern programming languages have effects and mix multiple calling conventions, and their core calculi should too. We characterize calling conventions by their “substitution discipline” that says what variables stand for, and design calculi for mixing disciplines in a single program. Building on variations of the reducibility candidates method, including biorthogonality and symmetric candidates which are both specialized for one discipline, we develop a single uniform framework for strong normalization encompassing call-by-name, call-by-value, call-by-need, call-by-push-value, non-deterministic disciplines, and any others satisfying some simple criteria. We explicate commonalities of previous methods and show they are special cases of the uniform framework and they extend to multi-discipline programs.

Call-by-name extensionality and confluence

Designing rewriting systems that respect functional extensionality for call-by-name languages with effects turns out to be surprisingly challenging. Simply interpreting extensional laws like η as reduction rules easily breaks confluence. We explore these issues in the setting of a sequent calculus. Building on an insight that appears in different aspects of the theory of call-by-name functional languages—confluent rewriting for two independent control calculi and sound continuation-passing style transformations—we give a confluent reduction system for lazy extensional functions. Finally, we consider limitations to this approach when used for strict evaluation and types beyond functions.