Reflection-based language support for the heterogeneous capture and restoration of running computations

TL;DR

This paper proposes a flexible language-based framework for capturing and restoring running computations in heterogeneous environments, extending Lua with an API to access internal execution structures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel language extension that enables customizable capture and restoration policies through reification of execution states.

Findings

Extended Lua with an API for internal structure reification

Supports user-defined capture and restoration policies

Facilitates adaptable solutions for heterogeneous environments

Abstract

This work is devoted to the study of the problem of user-level capture and restoration of running computations in heterogeneous environments. Support for those operations has traditionally been offered through ready-made solutions for specific applications, which are difficult to tailor or adapt to different needs. We believe that a more promising approach would be to build specific solutions as needed, over a more general framework for capture and restoration. In this work, in order to explore the basic mechanisms a language should provide to support the implementation of different policies, we extend the Lua programming language with an API that allows the programmer to reify the internal structures of execution into fine-grained language values.