Paper Info
Title
Type Inference by Coinductive Logic Programming
Abstract
We propose a novel approach to constraint-based type inference based on coinductive logic. Constraint generation corresponds to translation into a conjunction of Horn clauses P , and constraint satisfaction is defined in terms of the coinductive Herbrand model of P . We illustrate the approach by formally defining this translation for a small object-oriented language similar to Featherweight Java, where type annotations in field and method declarations can be omitted. In this way, we obtain a very precise type inference and provide new insights into the challenging problem of type inference for object-oriented programs. Since the approach is deliberately declarative, we define in fact a formal specification for a general class of algorithms, which can be a useful road map to researchers. Furthermore, despite we consider here a particular language, the methodology could be used in general for providing abstract specifications of type inference for different kinds of programming languages.
Year
DOI
Venue
2008
10.1007/978-3-642-02444-3_1
TYPES
Keywords
Field
DocType
coinductive logic,novel approach,constraint generation corresponds,type inference,precise type inference,constraint-based type inference,constraint satisfaction,coinductive herbrand model,general class,type annotation,coinductive logic programming,coinduction,formal specification,programming language,object oriented languages,object oriented language,object oriented programming
Constraint satisfaction,Fifth-generation programming language,Programming language,Horn clause,Computer science,Constraint programming,Algorithm,Theoretical computer science,Type inference,Object language,Logic programming,Constraint logic programming
Conference
Volume
ISSN
Citations 
5497
0302-9743
8
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.56
14
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Davide Ancona172769.43
Giovanni Lagorio221217.98
Elena Zucca3497101.25