Semantic Properties for Lightweight Specification in Knowledgeable Development Environments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal method called kind theory for specifying and refining semantic properties, which enhance programming languages with domain-specific semantics for various development stages.

Contribution

It presents a novel formal approach for defining and relating semantic properties at different specification levels in lightweight development environments.

Findings

Formalizes semantic property refinement using kind theory

Enables domain-specific language augmentation with richer semantics

Supports reuse and transformation of semantic specifications

Abstract

Semantic properties are domain-specific specification constructs used to augment an existing language with richer semantics. These properties are taken advantage of in system analysis, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance through the use of documentation and source-code transformation tools. Semantic properties are themselves specified at two levels: loosely with precise natural language, and formally within the problem domain. The refinement relationships between these specification levels, as well as between a semantic property's use and its realization in program code via tools, is specified with a new formal method for reuse called kind theory.