Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-5db58dd55d-jhf8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-07-09T11:28:58.800Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
Coming soon

String Diagrams for Lambda Calculi and Functional Computation

Expected online publication date:  28 September 2026

Dan R. Ghica
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham and Huawei Central Software Institute
Fabio Zanasi
Affiliation:
University College London

Summary

This Element gives an advanced introduction to string diagrams and graph languages for higher-order computation. The subject matter develops in a principled way, starting from the two dimensional syntax of key categorical concepts such as functors, adjunctions, and strictication, and leading up to Cartesian Closed Categories, the core mathematical model of the lambda calculus and of functional programming languages. This methodology inverts the usual approach of proceeding from syntax to a categorical interpretation, by rationally reconstructing a syntax from the categorical model. The result is a graph syntax-more precisely, a hierarchical hypergraph syntax-which in many ways is shown to be an improvement over the conventional linear term syntax. The rest of the Element focuses on applications of interest to programming languages: operational semantics, general frameworks for type inference, and complex whole-program transformations such as closure conversion and automatic differentiation. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

Information

Save element to Kindle

To save this element to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

String Diagrams for Lambda Calculi and Functional Computation
  • Dan R. Ghica, University of Birmingham and Huawei Central Software Institute, Fabio Zanasi, University College London
  • Online ISBN: 9781009719988
Available formats No formats are currently available for this content.
×

Save element to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

String Diagrams for Lambda Calculi and Functional Computation
  • Dan R. Ghica, University of Birmingham and Huawei Central Software Institute, Fabio Zanasi, University College London
  • Online ISBN: 9781009719988
Available formats No formats are currently available for this content.
×

Save element to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

String Diagrams for Lambda Calculi and Functional Computation
  • Dan R. Ghica, University of Birmingham and Huawei Central Software Institute, Fabio Zanasi, University College London
  • Online ISBN: 9781009719988
Available formats No formats are currently available for this content.
×