A hierarchical graph model of the semantics of programs

Abstract

The problem of developing an adequate formal model for the semantics of programming languages has been under intensive study in recent years. Unlike the area of syntax specification, where adequate models have existed for some time, the area of semantic specification is still in the formative stages. Development of formal semantic models has proceeded along two main lines, lambda-calculus models (e.g., Landin, Strachey) and directed graph models (e.g., Narasimhan, Floyd). This paper describes a model for the semantics of programs based on hierarchies of directed graphs.