Action Semantics [Paperback]

Action Semantics is a comprehensive introduction to the semantics of programming languages. It will be of use to graduates of computer science and mathematics.Action Semantics is a novel approach to the formal description of programming languages. Its abstractness is at an intermediate level, between that of denotational and operational semantics. Action Semantics has considerable pragmatic advantages over all previous approaches, especially regarding modularity of descriptions. In this volume, Dr Peter Mosses gives a thorough introduction to action semantics, and provides substantial illustrations of its use.Action Semantics is a novel approach to the formal description of programming languages. Its abstractness is at an intermediate level, between that of denotational and operational semantics. Action Semantics has considerable pragmatic advantages over all previous approaches, especially regarding modularity of descriptions. In this volume, Dr Peter Mosses gives a thorough introduction to action semantics, and provides substantial illustrations of its use.Action Semantics is a novel approach to the formal description of programming languages. Its abstractness is at an intermediate level, between that of denotational and operational semantics. Action Semantics has considerable pragmatic advantages over all previous approaches, in its comprehensibility and accessibility, and especially in the usefulness of its semantic descriptions of realistic programming languages. In this volume, Dr Peter Mosses gives a thorough introduction to action semantics, and provides substantial illustrations of its use. Graduates of computer science or maths who have an interest in the semantics of programming languages will find Action Semantics a most helpful book.Part I. Language Descriptions: 1. Motivation; 2. Concepts; 3. Formalities; Part II. Action Notation: 4. Basic; 5. Data; 6. Functional; 7. Declarative; 8. Imperative; 9. Reflective; 10. Communicative; Part III. Action SemantilÓ4