Implementing Parallel Language Constructs Using
a Reflective Object-Oriented Language

Hidehiko Masuhara¹         Satoshi Matsuoka²         Akinori Yonezawa^3
1 Department of Graphics and Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences
² Department of Information Engineering
(Currently with Tokyo Institute of Technology)
³ Department of Information Science
University of Tokyo

Abstract:

To provide various parallel language constructs, extensible languages based on reflection are attractive for both implementors and users. This paper describes our proposed meta-level architecture of a concurrent object-oriented language ABCL/R3, which has the following characteristics: (1) language customization through meta-interpreters and meta-objects, (2) delegation and inheritance mechanisms facilitating modular and re-usable meta-level programming, and (3) the reflective annotations and meta-level arguments realizing separation of base- and meta-level programs. We also show that several meta-level programs that provide common parallel programming strategies, such as object replication and latency hiding, are easily implemented.