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Projections for polymorphic strictness analysis

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Category Theory and Computer Science

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 389))

Abstract

We apply the categorical properties of polymorphic functions to compile-time analysis, specifically projection-based strictness analysis. First we interpret parameterised types as functors in a suitable category, and show that they preserve monics and epics. Then we define “strong” and “weak” polymorphism — the latter admitting certain projections that are not polymorphic in the usual sense. We prove that, under the right conditions, a weakly polymorphic function is characterised by a single instance. It follows that the strictness analysis of one simple instance of a polymorphic function yields results that apply to all. We show how this theory may be applied.

In comparison to earlier polymorphic strictness analysis methods, ours can apply polymorphic information to a particular instance very simply. The categorical approach simplifies our proofs, enabling them to be carried out at a higher level, and making them independent of the precise form of the programming language to be analysed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, UK

    John Hughes

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  1. John Hughes
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Editor information

David H. Pitt David E. Rydeheard Peter Dybjer Andrew M. Pitts Axel Poigné

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Hughes, J. (1989). Projections for polymorphic strictness analysis. In: Pitt, D.H., Rydeheard, D.E., Dybjer, P., Pitts, A.M., Poigné, A. (eds) Category Theory and Computer Science. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 389. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0018346

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0018346

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-51662-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46740-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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