Programming Language Fundamentals: A Metalanguage Approach in Elm

Understand the key principles of programming languages

Programming languages are the tools needed to let algorithms run on electronic computers. As they form the linguistic interface between humans and machines, the understanding of programming languages is essential for being able to control machine behavior. Programming Language Fundamentals offers a precise, comprehensive introduction to the principles that are the basis of most programming languages. Explaining both functional programming and logic programming, it presents a broad perspective on programming and constitutes an indispensable introduction to the foundations of programming languages.

Programming Language Fundamentals readers will also find:

• Introduction to Elm as a metalanguage to encourage thinking and experimenting with programming languages in a formal way
• Detailed discussion of topics including abstract syntax, semantics, types, and more
• In-depth explanations of key concepts such as scope and parameter passing

Programming Language Fundamentals is ideal for undergraduate students in computer science, as well as researchers and practitioners working with programming languages who are looking to broaden their understanding of the field.

Martin Erwig, PhD, is the Stretch Professor of Computer Science in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Oregon State University, USA. He is the author of the award-winning book Once Upon an Algorithm: How Stories Explain Computing. He serves as an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Computer Languages and as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Visual Language and Computing.