Module Concepts of Programming Languages, Computer Science (Master) (ER 5)
Programming languages are the most basic tool of programmers. This course covers the basics of the theory of programming languages, its applications to widely used languages today, and trends in the field that are likely to help define the programming languages of tomorrow. After this course, students will have an understanding of a wide range of programming language concepts and will be able to quickly adapt to emerging new programming languages. A mix of written as well as practical exercises will help students to get an understanding of different styles of programming in several programming languages.
Content.
Various styles of programming with a focus on functional programming:
data types and pattern matching
higher-order functions
polymorphic types
Different flavors of polymorphism:
subtyping (structual and nominal)
generics,
overloading
Program correctness:
static verification methods
testing methods such as QuickCheck
There is no final exam. Evaluation is based on quizzes, midterms and several smaller projects that are carried out during the semester.
Students of this course
- obtain an overview of the history of programming languages,
- get to know the various styles of programming (paradigms),
- explore their commonalities and differences,
- get hands on experiences by solving practical problems.
List of topics covered includes:
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Historical Overview
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Procedural languages
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Block structure
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Parameter Passing
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Object-oriented languages
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Subtyping
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Inheritance
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Overloading
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- Functional languages
- Lambda calculus
- Higher-order functions
- Algebraic data types and pattern matching
- Type systems
- Deduction (-> Prolog / logic programming)
- Typinference
- Polymorphism
- Static Analysis
- Concurrent and distributed programming
- The Actor model
- Software Transactional Memory
- Lecture notes and slides
- Exercises
- Textbook: Concepts in Programming Languages von John C. Mitchell
Prerequisites: Experience in a programming language.
Mix of lectures (2/3) and practical exercies (1/3)
The students of this course have to
- implement complex algorithms with a procedural or object-oriented programming language,
- optimize the implementation with specific techniques like CPU-cache optimization or the pardigm of hybridization,
- measure and analyze the time and memory consumption of the implemenation,
- compare algorithms with respect to different test scenarios, and
- documenting and discuss the final results.
The computer science problems of this course change from time to time. Typical problems include:
- Fast multiplication of polynomials and numbers,
- geometric algorithms, or
- graph algorithms.
The exercises and supplementary materials are available electronically (HTML, PDF, partial programms).
Prerequisites:
Deep practical knowledge of a procedural or object-oriented programming language like C, C++, C#, or Java. Implementation and testing of basic algorithms in the field of search, graphs and sorting problems.
Format:
Practical Assignment in a computer laboratory with small introductional parts as a lecture.
Support:
Individual support by the teachers in the computer lab. Contact outside laboratory time via e-mail or during the hours of the lecturers.