Programming Language Pragmatics

by Michael L. Scott

Overview

Programming Language Pragmatics, Fourth Edition, is the most comprehensive programming language textbook available today. It is distinguished and acclaimed for its integrated treatment of language design and implementation, with an emphasis on the fundamental tradeoffs that continue to drive software development.

The book provides readers with a solid foundation in the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics of the full range of programming languages, from traditional languages like C to the latest in functional, scripting, and object-oriented programming.  This fourth edition has been heavily revised throughout, with expanded coverage of type systems and functional programming, a unified treatment of polymorphism, highlights of the newest language standards, and examples featuring the ARM and x86 64-bit architectures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780124104099
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	12/25/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	992
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Michael L. Scott is a professor and past Chair of the Computer Science Department at the University of Rochester. He is best known for work on synchronization and concurrent data structures: algorithms from his group appear in a wide variety of commercial and open-source systems. A Fellow of the ACM and the IEEE, he shared the 2006 Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing. In 2001 he received the University's Robert and Pamela Goergen Award for Distinguished Achievement and Artistry in Undergraduate Teaching.

Table of Contents

I. Foundations
1. Introduction
2. Programming Language Syntax
3. Names, Scopes, Bindings
4. Semantic Analysis
5. Target Machine Architecture

II. Core Issues in Language Design
6. Control Flow
7. Data Types
8. Composite Types
9. Subroutines and Control Abstraction
10. Data Abstraction and Object Orientation

III. Alternative Programming Models
11. Functional Languages
12. Logic Languages
13. Concurrency
14. Scripting Languages

IV. A Closer Look at Implementation
15. Building a Runnable Program
16. Run-time Program Management
17. Code Improvement

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

The most comprehensive programming language textbook available today, featuring an integrated treatment of language design and language implementation. Users will find this a solid resource to help them understand the most important issues driving modern software development

Editorial Reviews

This textbook for a programming languages course focuses on concepts that underlie all of the languages normally encountered, illustrating those concepts with examples from various languages. Language design and implementation are explored together, with an emphasis on the ways in which they interact. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"This book is a key resource for any computer science student and is certainly faithful to its title - Programming Language Pragmatics…. The updated third edition of this popular book delivers the key concepts of programming languages and their implementation in a concise and intuitive way, illustrated with clear explanations and examples…. In addition to the coverage of traditional language topics, Scott’s book delves into the sometimes obscure, but essential, details of programming artifacts. The descriptions of language theory, along with concrete implementations of how to realise them, are invariably presented in a language-agnostic fashion. And therein lies the strength of this book: whilst the main examples have been updated (with C and Intel x86 replacing Pascal and MIPS), it provides an organisational framework for learning new languages, irrespective of the paradigm…. Programming Language Pragmatics provides a more accessible introduction to many of the key topics than the classic Compilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools by Aho et al. (a.k.a. the ‘Dragon Book’) and provides a deep appreciation of the design and implementation issues of modern languages…. The material is aimed at an undergraduate computer science level, but is also suitable for self-study. Topics are often independent of previously presented material, making it easier to pick and choose areas for study. This is also supported by additional in-depth material and advanced discussion topics on the companion CD…. In summary, this new edition provides both students and professionals alike a solid understanding of the most important issues driving software development today - an essential purchase for any serious programmer or computer scientist!"—BCS.com

From the Publisher