Modelling homogeneous generative meta-programming

TL;DR

This paper introduces a foundational calculus for homogeneous generative meta-programming (HGMP), capable of modeling advanced features of languages like Template Haskell, with a flexible design and a simple type system.

Contribution

It provides the first formal calculus for HGMP that can be extended to model complex language features, bridging the gap between theory and practical meta-programming languages.

Findings

The calculus can model powerful HGMP features.

A simple type system is developed for the calculus.

The approach demonstrates flexibility and extensibility.

Abstract

Homogeneous generative meta-programming (HGMP) enables the generation of program fragments at compile-time or run-time. We present the first foundational calculus which can model powerful HGMP languages such as Template Haskell. The calculus is designed such that we can gradually enhance it with the features needed to model many of the advanced features of real languages. As a demonstration of the flexibility of our approach, we also provide a simple type system for the calculus.