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Lessons from the design of a Standard ML library

Part of: JFP Research Articles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2008

Dave Berry
Dave Berry
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh, UK†
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Abstract

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We describe the Edinburgh SML Library and draw lessons from its development. These lessons are of two kinds. The first concerns how to use SML to write a library, and shows some of the design choices that have to be considered. Most of the paper concerns this topic. The second kind of lesson concerns ways in which the language hinders the construction of a library. We suggest some changes to the language as a result of this experience, the most important being the addition of higher-order functors. We also suggest that language designers should consider the needs of libraries early on in the design of a language.

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Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Functional Programming , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , October 1993 , pp. 527 - 552
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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