research-article

Scala macros: let our powers combine!: on how rich syntax and static types work with metaprogramming

Author:

Eugene BurmakoAuthors Info & Claims

SCALA '13: Proceedings of the 4th Workshop on Scala

Article No.: 3, Pages 1 - 10

https://doi.org/10.1145/2489837.2489840

Published: 02 July 2013 Publication History

Abstract

Compile-time metaprogramming has been proven immensely useful enabling programming techniques such as language virtualization, embedding of external domain-specific languages, self-optimization, and boilerplate generation among many others.

In the recent production release of Scala 2.10 we have introduced macros, an experimental facility which gives its users compile-time metaprogramming powers. Alongside of the mainline release of Scala Macros, we have also introduced other macro flavors, which provide their users with different interfaces and capabilities for interacting with the Scala compiler.

In this paper, we show how the rich syntax and static types of Scala synergize with macros, through a number of real case studies using our macros (some of which are production systems) such as language virtualization, type providers, materialization of type class instances, type-level programming, and embedding of external DSLs. We explore how macros enable new and unique ways to use pre-existing language features such as implicits, dynamics, annotations, string interpolation and others, showing along the way how these synergies open up new ways of dealing with software development challenges.

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Cited By

Ballantyne MGamburg MHemann J(2024)Compiled, Extensible, Multi-language DSLs (Functional Pearl)Proceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36746278:ICFP(64-87)Online publication date: 15-Aug-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3674627
Crichton WKrishnamurthi S(2024)A Core Calculus for Documents: Or, Lambda: The Ultimate DocumentProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36328658:POPL(667-694)Online publication date: 5-Jan-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3632865
Xie NWhite LNicole OYallop J(2023)MacoCaml: Staging Composable and Compilable MacrosProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36078517:ICFP(604-648)Online publication date: 31-Aug-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3607851
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Index Terms

Scala macros: let our powers combine!: on how rich syntax and static types work with metaprogramming
1. Software and its engineering
  1. Software notations and tools
    1. General programming languages
      1. Language features

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SCALA '13: Proceedings of the 4th Workshop on Scala

July 2013

84 pages

ISBN:9781450320641

DOI:10.1145/2489837

Copyright © 2013 ACM.

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Published: 02 July 2013

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ECOOP '13: European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming

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https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3674627
Crichton WKrishnamurthi S(2024)A Core Calculus for Documents: Or, Lambda: The Ultimate DocumentProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36328658:POPL(667-694)Online publication date: 5-Jan-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3632865
Xie NWhite LNicole OYallop J(2023)MacoCaml: Staging Composable and Compilable MacrosProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36078517:ICFP(604-648)Online publication date: 31-Aug-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3607851
Haller P(2022)Enhancing closures in scala 3 with spores3Proceedings of the Scala Symposium10.1145/3550198.3550428(22-27)Online publication date: 6-Jun-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3550198.3550428
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Stucki NBrachthäuser JOdersky MKuchen HSinger J(2021)Virtual ADTs for portable metaprogrammingProceedings of the 18th ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Managed Programming Languages and Runtimes10.1145/3475738.3480717(36-44)Online publication date: 29-Sep-2021
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