Concepts in Programming Languages

John C. Mitchell

ISBN 10: 0521780985 / ISBN 13: 9780521780988

Published by Cambridge University Press, GB, 2002

About this Item

For undergraduate and beginning graduate students, this textbook explains and examines the central concepts used in modern programming languages, such as functions, types, memory management, and control. The book is unique in its comprehensive presentation and comparison of major object-oriented programming languages. Separate chapters examine the history of objects, Simula and Smalltalk, and the prominent languages C++ and Java. The author presents foundational topics, such as lambda calculus and denotational semantics, in an easy-to-read, informal style, focusing on the main insights provided by these theories. Advanced topics include concurrency, concurrent object-oriented programming, program components, and inter-language interoperability. A chapter on logic programming illustrates the importance of specialized programming methods for certain kinds of problems. This book will give the reader a better understanding of the issues and tradeoffs that arise in programming language design, and a better appreciation of the advantages and pitfalls of the programming languages they use.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780521780988

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Concepts in Programming Languages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, GB
• Publication Date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521780985
• ISBN 13: 9780521780988
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Dimensions: 17.78W x 2.54H x 25.4D centimeters 17.78 centimeters width by 2.54 centimeters height by 25.4 centimeters depth
• Weight: 1126 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Concepts in Programming Languages elucidates the central concepts used in modern programming languages, such as functions, types, memory management, and control. The book is unique in its comprehensive presentation and comparison of major object-oriented programming languages. Separate chapters examine the history of objects, Simula and Smalltalk, and the prominent languages C++ and Java. The author presents foundational topics, such as lambda calculus and denotational semantics, in an easy-to-read, informal style, focusing on the main insights provided by these theories. Advanced topics include concurrency, concurrent object-oriented programming, program components, and inter-language interoperability. A chapter on logic programming illustrates the importance of specialized programming methods for certain kinds of problems.

Book Description

This general textbook on programming languages is designed for undergraduate andbeginning graduate students with some knowledge of basic programming. It teaches the concepts that appear in programming languages, issues that arise in their implementation, and the way that language design affects program development. Each chapter contains an extensive list of homework exercises, tested at several universities.A unique feature of the book is the comprehensive presentation of and comparison between major object-oriented programming languages. Separate chapters examine the history of objects, Simula and Smalltalk, and the prominent languages C++ and Java, giving the reader a solid understanding of the design goals for each of these languages and the central trade-offs between programming expressiveness and implementation efficiency.