Software Languages

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxx

   PDF

2. The Notion of a Software Language

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 1-49

3. A Story of a Domain-Specific Language

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 51-86

4. Foundations of Tree- and Graph-Based Abstract Syntax

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 87-108

5. Representation of Object Programs in Metaprograms

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 109-134

6. A Suite of Metaprogramming Scenarios

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 135-175

7. Foundations of Textual Concrete Syntax

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 177-200

8. Implementation of Textual Concrete Syntax

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 201-240

9. A Primer on Operational Semantics

   • Ralf Lämmel

   Pages 241-270

10. A Primer on Type Systems

    • Ralf Lämmel

    Pages 271-288

11. An Excursion into the Lambda Calculus

    • Ralf Lämmel

    Pages 289-318

12. An Ode to Compositionality

    • Ralf Lämmel

    Pages 319-334

13. A Suite of Metaprogramming Techniques

    • Ralf Lämmel

    Pages 335-397

14. Back Matter

    Pages 399-424

    PDF

This book identifies, defines and illustrates the fundamental concepts and engineering techniques relevant to applications of software languages in software development. It presents software languages primarily from a software engineering perspective, i.e., it addresses how to parse, analyze, transform, generate, format, and otherwise process software artifacts in different software languages, as they appear in software development. To this end, it covers a wide range of software languages – most notably programming languages, domain-specific languages, modeling languages, exchange formats, and specifically also language definition languages. Further, different languages are leveraged to illustrate software language engineering concepts and techniques. The functional programming language Haskell dominates the book, while the mainstream programming languages Python and Java are additionally used for illustration.


By doing this, the book collects and organizes scattered knowledge from software language engineering, focusing on application areas such as software analysis (software reverse engineering), software transformation (software re-engineering), software composition (modularity), and domain-specific languages. It is designed as a textbook for independent study as well as for bachelor’s (advanced level) or master’s university courses in Computer Science. An additional website provides complementary material, for example, lecture slides and videos.


This book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to understand the fundamental concepts and important engineering principles underlying software languages, allowing them to acquire much of the operational intelligence needed for dealing with software languages in software development practice. This is an important skill set for software engineers, as languages are increasingly permeating software development.

• System description languages
• Context specific languages
• Formal language definitions
• Software creation and management
• Software composition
• Model-based software engineering
• Domain-specific languages

Selected by Choice magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title for 2019 

“The book’s 12 chapters cover a wealth of information by adopting a formal point of view that supplies the rigor needed for such an extensive treatment while offering plenty of self-learning opportunities through exercises and additional references. … This book is also useful as the first step in a more in-depth exploration of specific topics, such as metaprogramming, as it provides the references needed for a comprehensive literature review. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty and professionals.” (L. Benedicenti, Choice, Vol. 56 (9), May, 2019)

• Computer Science Department, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz, Germany

  Ralf Lämmel

​Ralf Lämmel is Software Engineer at Facebook since 2018 and Professor of Computer Science (currently on leave of absence) at the University of Koblenz-Landau in Germany since 2007. In the past, he had held positions at the University of l'Aquila, Microsoft, the Free University of Amsterdam, CWI (Dutch Center for Mathematics and Computer Science), and the University of Rostock, Germany. His research and teaching interests include software language engineering, software reverse engineering, software re-engineering, mining software repositories, functional programming, grammar-based and model-based techniques, and, more recently, megamodeling. He is one of the founding fathers of the international summer school series on Generative and Transformational Techniques on Software Engineering (GTTSE) and the international conference on Software Language Engineering (SLE).

Policies and ethics