Action Semantics

by Peter D. Mosses

Overview

Action Semantics is a novel approach to the formal description of programming languages. Its abstractness is at an intermediate level, between that of denotational and operational semantics. Action Semantics has considerable pragmatic advantages over all previous approaches, in its comprehensibility and accessibility, and especially in the usefulness of its semantic descriptions of realistic programming languages. In this volume, Dr Peter Mosses gives a thorough introduction to action semantics, and provides substantial illustrations of its use. Graduates of computer science or maths who have an interest in the semantics of programming languages will find Action Semantics a most helpful book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521619332
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/17/2005
Series:	Cambridge Tracts in Theoretical Computer Science , #26
Pages:	396
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.69(h) x 0.75(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. Language Descriptions: 1. Motivation; 2. Concepts; 3. Formalities; Part II. Action Notation: 4. Basic; 5. Data; 6. Functional; 7. Declarative; 8. Imperative; 9. Reflective; 10. Communicative; Part III. Action Semantic Descriptions: 11. Statements; 12. Literals; 13. Expressions; 14. Declarations; 15. Variables; 16. Subprogramming; 17. Tasks; Part IV. Conclusion: 18. Other frameworks; 19. Development; Appendices; Bibliography; Symbol Index; Concept Index.