Are We There Yet?: Simple Language Implementation Techniques for the 21st Century

Research on language implementation techniques has regained importance with the rise of domain-specific languages (DSLs). Although DSLs can help manage a domain's complexity, building highly optimizing compilers or virtual machines is rarely affordable. So, performance remains an issue. Ideally...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE software 2014-09, Vol.31 (5), p.60-67
Main Authors: Marr, Stefan, Pape, Tobias, De Meuter, Wolfgang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceptability
Analogies
compilers
Computer applications
Computer languages
computer programming
Computer programs
Computer Science
Construction equipment
domain-specific languages
Interpreters
Java
language implementation
Optimization
Optimizing compilers
Programming
Programming Languages
RPython
Software engineering
Studies
Subscriber line
Syntactics
Truffle
Virtual environments
virtual machines
Virtual reality
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Summary:Research on language implementation techniques has regained importance with the rise of domain-specific languages (DSLs). Although DSLs can help manage a domain's complexity, building highly optimizing compilers or virtual machines is rarely affordable. So, performance remains an issue. Ideally, you would implement a simple interpreter and still be able to achieve acceptable performance. RPython and Truffle are implementation techniques based on simple interpreters; they promise to perform at the same order of magnitude as highly optimizing virtual machines. This case study compares the two techniques to identify their similarities, weaknesses, and areas for further research.
ISSN:0740-7459
1937-4194
DOI:10.1109/MS.2014.98