A Framework for Datatype Transformation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive framework for transforming data types in functional programs, including refactorings and adaptations that preserve or modify structure, to support program evolution.

Contribution

It presents a set of transformation operators for datatype evolution, covering structure-preserving, extending, and reducing transformations in functional programming.

Findings

Defined a suite of datatype transformation operators

Supported structure-preserving and structure-modifying transformations

Applicable to both object and meta programs in functional languages

Abstract

We study one dimension in program evolution, namely the evolution of the datatype declarations in a program. To this end, a suite of basic transformation operators is designed. We cover structure-preserving refactorings, but also structure-extending and -reducing adaptations. Both the object programs that are subject to datatype transformations, and the meta programs that encode datatype transformations are functional programs.