Embedding attribute grammars and their extensions using functional zippers

Abstract

Attribute grammars are a suitable formalism to express complex software language analysis and manipulation algorithms, which rely on multiple traversals of the underlying syntax tree. Attribute grammars have been extended with mechanisms such as reference, higher-order and circular attributes. Such extensions provide a powerful modular mechanism and allow the specification of complex computations. This paper studies an elegant and simple, zipper-based embedding of attribute grammars and their extensions as first class citizens. In this setting, language specifications are defined as a set of independent, off-the-shelf components that can easily be composed into a powerful, executable language processor. Techniques to describe automatic bidirectional transformations between grammars in this setting are also described. Several real examples of language specification and processing programs have been implemented.