Constrained Polymorphic Types for a Calculus with Name Variables∗ Davide Ancona1, Paola Giannini†2, and Elena Zucca3 1 DIBRIS, Università di Genova, via Dodecaneso 35, Genova, Italy
[email protected] 2 DISIT, Università del Piemonte Orientale, via Teresa Michel 11, Alessandria, Italy
[email protected] 3 DIBRIS, Università di Genova, via Dodecaneso 35, Genova, Italy
[email protected] Abstract We extend the simply-typed lambda-calculus with a mechanism for dynamic rebinding of code based on parametric nominal interfaces. That is, we introduce values which represent single fragments, or families of named fragments, of open code, where free variables are associated with names which do not obey α-equivalence. In this way, code fragments can be passed as function arguments and manipulated, through their nominal interface, by operators such as rebinding, overriding and renaming. Moreover, by using name variables, it is possible to write terms which are parametric in their nominal interface and/or in the way it is adapted, greatly enhancing expressivity. However, in order to prevent conflicts when instantiating name variables, the name- polymorphic types of such terms need to be equipped with simple inequality constraints. We show soundness of the type system. 1998 ACM Subject Classification D.3.1 Programming Languages: Formal Definitions and The- ory, D.3.3 Programming Languages: Language Constructs and Features Keywords and phrases open code, incremental rebinding, name polymorphism, metaprogram- ming Digital Object Identifier 10.4230/LIPIcs.TYPES.2015.4 1 Introduction We propose an extension of the simply-typed lambda-calculus with a mechanism for dynamic and incremental rebinding of code based on parametric nominal interfaces.