Comparative semantics for modern communication abstractions

Abstract

In this paper we employ the mathematical methodology of metric semantics in designing and relating an operational and a denotational semantics for a simple imperative distributed language LJ . LJ is a CSP-like language extended by us with communication on multiple channels and synchronization based on join patterns in the style of Join calculus. The semantic models are designed with a continuation semantics for parallel and distributed computing, introduced by us in previous work. The flexibility of continuations appears to be essential for the success of our semantic design. As far as we know, this is the first paper that reports a denotational semantics for a language with communication a la Join calculus.