6.2 Meta-Design

Architecture of the CF

The family of CF specification languages is to consist of three main levels:

The Common Language (CL).

This general-purpose specification language is to be the most prominent of the CF family: the other languages are to be obtained by restriction or extension of it. CL should be at least as expressive as various existing languages. Its intended applicability is for specifying abstract data types, and requirements and design for programs (at least for programs which do not react with their environment during execution). It is also to be the main topic of the documentation (reference manual, user's guide, text book).

Some Sub-Languages (SLs).

These are to be obtained from CL by imposing syntactic and/or semantic restrictions. The sub-languages need not have a common kernel. Their intended applicability is in connection with particular kinds of tools (e.g., a first-order equational SL might support tools for term rewriting and completion).

Some Extended Languages (XLs).

These are to be obtained from CL (or perhaps from SLs) by syntactic and/or semantic extensions. The extended languages need not have a common super-language. Their intended applicability is to include advanced features well-adapted to specifying requirements and design of systems involving various programming paradigms (e.g., reactive systems, object-oriented systems).

To be continued...