The Definition of Standard ML

This book presents the official, formal definition of the programming language ML including the rules for grammar and static and dynamic semantics. ML is the most well-developed and prominent of a new group of functional programming languages. On the cutting edge of theoretical computer science, ML embodies the ideas of static typing and polymorphism and has also contributed a number of novel ideas to the design of programming languages. Contents:Syntax of the Core. Syntax of Modules. Static Semantics for the Core. Static Semantics for Modules. Dynamic Semantics for Modules. Programs. Appendixes:Derived Forms. Full Grammar. The Initial Static Basis. The Initial Dynamic Basis. The Development of ML. Robin Milner is Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh. Mads Tofte is Lecturer at Nsukka University Nigeria. Robert Harper is Research Computer Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University.