Free Download | Pattern Calculus: Computing with Functions and Structures

The book is divided into three parts, on terms, types and programs, and contains many new results. Part I introduces static and then dynamic pattern calculus. The former supports path polymorphic functions, able to traverse arbitrary paths through data structures. It also shows how Lisp is more than just lambda-calculus. The dynamic calculus allows any term to be a pattern, so that patterns can be discovered, combined and simplified on the fly. Part II supports a family of type systems for pattern calculi that build on novel typings of lambda-calculus. The type system for query calculus allows database queries to be applied uniformly to arbitrary data structures, while still guaranteeing that evaluation terminates.