gf-core/doc/transfer-reference.txt

Transfer language reference
Author: Björn Bringert <bringert@cs.chalmers.se>
Last update: %%date(%c)

% NOTE: this is a txt2tags file.
% Create an html file from this file using:
% txt2tags transfer.txt

%!target:html
%!options(html): --toc


This document describes the features of the Transfer language.
See the [Transfer tutorial transfer-tutorial.html]
for an example of a Transfer program, and how to compile and use 
Transfer programs.

Transfer is a dependently typed functional programming language 
with eager evaluation.

== Current implementation status ==

**Not all features of the Transfer language have been implemented yet**. The most 
important missing piece is the type checker. This means that there are almost
no checks done on Transfer programs before they are run. It also means that
the values of metavariables are not inferred. Thus metavariables cannot
be used where their values matter. For example, dictionaries for overlaoded 
functions must be given explicitly, not as metavariables.


== Layout syntax==

Transfer uses layout syntax, where the indentation of a piece of code
determines which syntactic block it belongs to.

To give the block structure of a piece of code without using layout
syntax, you can enclose the block in curly braces (``{ }``) and 
separate the parts of the blocks with semicolons (``;``).

For example, this case expression:

```
case x of
       p1 -> e1
       p2 -> e2
```

is equivalent to this one:

```
case x of {
       p1 -> e1 ;
       p2 -> e2 
}
```

Here the layout is insignificant, as the structure is given with
braces and semicolons. Thus the above is equivalent to:

```
case x of { p1 -> e1 ; p2 -> e2 }
```


== Imports ==

A Transfer module start with some imports. Most modules will have to
import the prelude, which contains definitons used by most programs:

```
import prelude
```


== Function declarations ==

Functions need to be given a type and a definition. The type is given
by a typing judgement on the form:

```
f : T
```

where ``f`` is the function's name, and ``T`` its type. See 
[Function types #function_types] for a how the types of functions
are written.

The definition of the function is the given as a sequence of pattern
equations. The first equation whose patterns match the function arguments
is used when the function is called. Pattern equations are on the form:

```
f p11 ... p1m = exp
...
f pn1 ... pnm = exp
```

where ``p11`` to ``pnm`` are patterns, see [Patterns #patterns].


== Data type declarations ==

Transfer supports Generalized Algebraic Datatypes.
They are declared thusly:

```
data D : T where 
     c1 : Tc1
     ...
     cn : Tcn
```

Here ``D`` is the name of the data type, ``T`` is the type of the type
constructor, ``c1`` to ``cn`` are the data constructor names, and
``Tc1`` to ``Tcn`` are their types. 


== Lambda expressions ==

//Lambda expressions// are terms which express functions, without
giving names to them. For example:

```
\x -> x + 1
```

is the function which takes an argument, and returns the value of the 
argument + 1.


== Local definitions ==

To give local definition to some names, use:

```
let x1 : T1 = exp1
    ...
    xn : Tn = expn
 in exp
```


== Types ==

=== Function types ===[function_types]

Functions types are of the form:

```
A -> B
```

This is the type of functions which take an argument of type 
``A`` and returns a result of type ``B``.

To write functions which take more than one argument, we use //currying//.
A function which takes n arguments is a function which takes 1 
argument and returns a function which takes n-1 arguments. Thus,

```
A -> (B -> C)
```

or, equivalently, since ``->`` associates to the right:

```
A -> B -> C
```

is the type of functions which take 2 arguments, the first of type 
``A`` and the second of type ``B``. This arrangement lets us do
//partial application// of function to fewer arguments than the function 
is declared to take, returning a new function which takes the rest 
of the arguments.


==== Dependent function types ====

In a function type, the value of an argument can be used later 
in the type. Such dependent function types are written:

```
(x1 : T1) -> ... -> (xn : Tn) -> T
```

Here, ``x1`` can be used in ``T2`` to ``Tn``, ``x1`` can be used 
in ``T2`` to ``Tn``.


=== Basic types ===

==== Integers ====

The type of integers is called ``Integer``. 
standard decmial integer literals are used to represent values of this type.


==== Floating-point numbers ====

The only currently supported floating-point type is ``Double``, which supports
IEEE-754 double-precision floating-point numbers. Double literals are written
in decimal notation, e.g. ``123.456``.


==== Strings ====

There is a primitive ``String`` type. This might be replaced by a list of 
characters representation in the future. String literals are written 
with double quotes, e.g. ``"this is a string"``.


==== Booleans ====

Booleans are not a built-in type, though some features of the Transfer language
depend on them.

```
data Bool : Type where
        True : Bool
        False : Bool
```

In addition to normal pattern matching on booleans, you can use the built-in
if-expression:

```
if exp1 then exp2 else exp3
```

where ``exp1`` must be an expression of type ``Bool``.



=== Records ===

Record types are created by using a ``sig`` expression:

```
sig { p1 : T1; ... ; pn : Tn }
```

Here, ``p1`` to ``pn`` are the field labels and ``T1`` to ``Tn`` are their types.

Record values are constructed using ``rec`` expressions:

```
rec { p1 = exp1; ... ; pn = expn }
```

The curly braces and semicolons are simply explicit layout syntax, so 
the record type and record expression above can also be written as:

```
sig p1 : T1
    pn : Tn
```

```
rec p1 = exp1
    pn = expn
```


==== Record subtyping ====

A record of some type R1 can be used as a record of any type R2
such that for every field ``p1 : T1`` in R2, ``p1 : T1`` is also a 
field of T1.


=== Tuples ===

Tuples on the form:

```
(exp1, ..., expn)
```

are syntactic sugar for records with fields ``p1`` to ``pn``. The expression
above is equivalent to:

```
rec { p1 = exp1; ... ; pn = expn }
```


=== Lists ===

The ``List`` type is not built-in, though there is some special syntax for it.
The list type is declared as:

```
data List : Type -> Type where 
	Nil : (A:Type) -> List A
        Cons : (A:Type) -> A -> List A -> List A
```

The empty lists can be written as ``[]``. There is a operator ``::`` which can 
be used instead of ``Cons``. These are just syntactic sugar for expressions
using ``Nil`` and ``Cons``, with the type arguments hidden.


== Case expressions ==

Pattern matching is done in pattern equations and by using the 
``case`` construct:

```
case exp of
     p1 | guard1 -> rhs1
     ...
     pn | guardn -> rhsn
```

where ``p1`` to ``pn`` are patterns, see [Patterns #patterns].
``guard1`` to ``guardn`` are boolean expressions. Case arms can also be written 
without guards, such as:

```
     pk -> rhsk
```

This is the same as writing:

```
     pk | True -> rhsk
```


== Patterns ==[patterns]

=== Constructor patterns ===

Constructor patterns are written as:

```
C p1 ... pn
```

where ``C`` is a data constructor which takes ``n`` arguments.
If the value to be matched is the constructor ``C`` applied to 
arguments ``v1`` to ``vn``, then ``v1`` to ``vn`` will be matched
against ``p1`` to ``pn``.


=== Variable patterns ===

A variable pattern is a single identifier:

```
x
```

A variable pattern matches any value, and binds the variable name to the
value. A variable may not occur more than once in a pattern.


=== Wildcard patterns ===

Wildcard patterns are written as with a single underscore:

```
_
```

Wildcard patterns match all values and bind no variables.


=== Record patterns ===

Record patterns match record values:

```
rec { l1 = p1; ... ; ln = pn }
```

A record value matches a record pattern, if the record value has all the 
fields ``l1`` to ``ln``, and their values match ``p1`` to ``pn``.

Note that a record value may have more fields than the record pattern and 
they will still match.


=== Disjunctive patterns ===

It is possible to write a pattern on the form:

```
p1 || ... || pn
```

A value will match this pattern if it matches any of the patterns ``p1`` to ``pn``.
FIXME: talk about how this is expanded


=== List patterns ===

When pattern matching in lists, there are two special constructs.
A whole list can be matched be a list of patterns:

```
[p1, ... , pn]
```

This pattern will match lists of length n, such that each element
in the list matches the corresponding pattern. The empty list pattern:

```
[]
```

is a special case of this. It matches the empty list, oddly enough.

Non-empty lists can also be matched with ``::``-patterns:

```
p1::p2
```

This pattern matches a non-empty lists such that the first element of
the list matches ``p1`` and the rest of the list matches ``p2``.


=== Tuple patterns ===

Tuples patterns on the form:

```
(p1, ... , pn)
```

are syntactic sugar for record patterns, in the same way as tuple expressions.

=== String literal patterns ===

String literals can be used as patterns.


=== Integer literal patterns ===

Integer literals can be used as patterns.


== Metavariables ==

Metavariable are written as questions marks:

```
?
```

A metavariable is a way to the the Transfer type checker that:
"you should be able to figure out what this should be,
I can't be bothered to tell you". 

Metavariables can be used to avoid having to give type
and dictionary arguments explicitly.


== Overloaded functions / Type classes ==



== Operators ==



== Compositional functions ==



== do notation ==

Sequences of operations in the Monad type class can be written 
using do-notation, like in Haskell:

```
do x <- f
   y <- g x
   h y
```

is equivalent to:

```
f >>= \x -> g x >>= \y -> h y
```