Programming language theory

"Theory of programming" redirects here. For the branch of CS that deals with what problems can be solved, see Theory of computation.
The lowercase Greek letter λ (lambda) is an unofficial symbol of the field of programming-language theory.[citation needed] This usage derives from the lambda calculus, a model of computation introduced by Alonzo Church in the 1930s and widely used by programming-language researchers. It graces the cover[1] of the classic text Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, and the title of the so-called Lambda Papers of 1975 to 1980, written by Gerald Jay Sussman and Guy Steele, the developers of the Scheme programming language.[jargon]

Programming language theory (PLT) is a branch of computer science that deals with the design, implementation, analysis, characterization, and classification of formal languages known as programming languages. Programming language theory is closely related to other fields including mathematics, software engineering, and linguistics. There are a number of academic conferences and journals in the area.

  1. ^ Abelson, Harold (1996). Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. Gerald Jay Sussman, Julie Sussman (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-01153-0. OCLC 34576857.