JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 14(21): 3592-3607, doi: 10.3217/jucs-014-21-3592
Disentangling Denotational Semantics Definitions
expand article infoFabio Tirelo‡, Roberto S. Bigonha§, Joâo Saraiva|
‡ Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonge, Brazil§ Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil| Universidade do Minho, Minho, Portugal

Corresponding author: Fabio Tirelo ( ftirelo@pucminas.br )

© Fabio Tirelo, Roberto Bigonha, Joâo Saraiva.
This article is freely available under the J.UCS Open Content License.
Citation: Tirelo F, Bigonha RS, Saraiva J (2008) Disentangling Denotational Semantics Definitions. JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 14(21): 3592-3607. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-014-21-3592
Open Access
Abstract
Denotational semantics is a powerful technique to formally define programming languages. However, language constructs are not always orthogonal, so many semantic equations in a definition may have to be aware of unrelated constructs semantics. Current approaches for modularity in this formalism do not address this problem, providing, for this reason, tangled semantic definitions. This paper proposes an incremental approach for denotational semantic specifications, in which each step can either add new features or adapt existing equations, by means of a formal language based on function transformation and aspect weaving.
Keywords
semantics of programming languages, denotational semantics, modularity, aspect-oriented definitions