First-class macros have types

  • Authors:
  • Alan Bawden

  • Affiliations:
  • Boston University

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 27th ACM SIGPLAN-SIGACT symposium on Principles of programming languages
  • Year:
  • 2000

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Abstract

In modern Scheme, a macro captures the lexical environment where it is defined. This creates an opportunity for extending Scheme so that macros are first-class values. The key to achieving this goal, while preserving the ability to compile programs into reasonable code, is the addition of a type system. Many interesting things can be done with first-class macros, including the construction of a useful module system in which modules are also first-class. Clams got legs! — B.C.