Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

A framework for improving error messages in dependently-typed languages

A framework for improving error messages in dependently-typed languages AbstractDependently-typed programming languages provide a powerful tool for establishing code correctness. However, it can be hard for newcomers to learn how to employ the advanced type system of such languages effectively. For simply-typed languages, several techniques have been devised to generate helpful error messages and suggestions for the programmer. We adapt these techniques to dependently-typed languages, to facilitate their more widespread adoption. In particular, we modify a higher-order unification algorithm that is used to resolve and type-check implicit arguments. We augment this algorithm with replay graphs, allowing for a global heuristic analysis of a unification problem-set, error-tolerant typing, which allows type-checking to continue after errors are found, and counter-factual unification, which makes error messages less affected by the order in which types are checked. A formalization of our algorithm is presented with an outline of its correctness. We implement replay graphs, and compare the generated error messages to those from existing languages, highlighting the improvements we achieved. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Open Computer Science de Gruyter

A framework for improving error messages in dependently-typed languages

Download PDF
32 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/de-gruyter/a-framework-for-improving-error-messages-in-dependently-typed-JNJcAaAZKA
Publisher
de Gruyter
Copyright
© 2019 Joseph Eremondi et al., published by De Gruyter Open
eISSN
2299-1093
DOI
10.1515/comp-2019-0001
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractDependently-typed programming languages provide a powerful tool for establishing code correctness. However, it can be hard for newcomers to learn how to employ the advanced type system of such languages effectively. For simply-typed languages, several techniques have been devised to generate helpful error messages and suggestions for the programmer. We adapt these techniques to dependently-typed languages, to facilitate their more widespread adoption. In particular, we modify a higher-order unification algorithm that is used to resolve and type-check implicit arguments. We augment this algorithm with replay graphs, allowing for a global heuristic analysis of a unification problem-set, error-tolerant typing, which allows type-checking to continue after errors are found, and counter-factual unification, which makes error messages less affected by the order in which types are checked. A formalization of our algorithm is presented with an outline of its correctness. We implement replay graphs, and compare the generated error messages to those from existing languages, highlighting the improvements we achieved.

Journal

Open Computer Science – de Gruyter

Published: Jan 1, 2019

References

  • a general - purpose dependently typed programming language design and implementation of Functional
    Brady
  • The undecidability of unification in third order logic and
    Huet
  • framework for defining logics
    Harper
  • The choice calculus representation for software variation Article
    Erwig
  • u GNULinuxProgrammer agda https www reddit com r agda comments lq q Accessed
  • repository lambda pi constraint tag thesis final https github com JoeyEremondi lambdapi constraint
    Eremondi
  • Diagnosing type errors with class In Proceedings of the th Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation New York
    Zhang
  • unification algorithm for typed λ - calculus
    Huet
  • theory of type polymorphism in programming of Computer and System
    Milner
  • Dependently typed programming in In Proceedings of the th International Workshop on Types in Language Design and Implementation New York
    Norell
  • Heeren quality type error messages Ph thesis Utrecht University Utrecht Netherlands Dissertation Series https dspace library uu nl handle
  • comprehensible guide to a new unifier for CIC including universe polymorphism and overloading of Functional
    Ziliani
  • Pattern matching without In Proceedings of the th International Conference on Functional Programming New York
    Cockx
  • Counter - factual typing for debugging type errors In Proceedings of the st on Principles of Programming Languages New York
    Chen
  • tutorial implementation of a dependently typed lambda calculus Special Issue on Dependently Typed Programming
    McBride
  • Towards a practical programming language based on dependent type theory Ph thesis University of Technology http www cse chalmers se ulfn papers thesis pdf
    Norell
  • About models for intuitionistic type theories and the notion of definitional equality in : Proceedings of the Third Scandinavian Logic Symposium Studies in Logic and the Foundations of Mathematics North - Holland Publishing Company Amsterdam Netherlands
    Martin
  • Heeren Constraint based type inferencing in Helium Immediate Applications of Constraint Programming http www open ou nl bhr ConstraintBasedTI html
    Hage
  • Type error slicing in implicitly typed higher - order languages of Special Issue th European Symposium on Programming
    Haack
  • a static holistic error locator Program Article
    Zhang
  • Helium Team Helium github repository https github com Helium helium
    Haskell
  • Heeren Heuristics for type error discovery and recovery In Proceedings of the th International Conference on Implementation and Application of Functional
    Hage
  • Proof - relevant unification : Dependent pattern matching with only the axioms of your type theory of Functional
    Cockx
  • Unifiers as equivalences : Proof - relevant unification of dependently typed data In Proceedings of the st International Conference on Functional Programming New York
    Cockx
  • An error - tolerant type system for variational lambda calculus in Proceedings of the th International Conference on Functional Programming New York
    Chen
  • Improving error messages for dependent types with constraint - based unification Master s thesis Utrecht University Utrecht https dspace library uu nl handle
    Eremondi
  • Practical SMT - based type error localization In Proceedings of the th SIGPLAN International Conference on Functional Programming New York
    Pavlinovic
  • Extending type inference to variational programs Program Article
    Chen
  • Higher - order dynamic pattern unification for dependent types and records and th International Conference Sad
    Abel
  • linear calculus of and
    Cervesato
  • Unification under a mixed prefix
    Miller
  • Do developers read compiler error messages In Proceedings of the th on
    Barik
  • Type inference dependent types Ph thesis University of Strathclyde United Kingdom http adam gundry co uk pub thesis thesis
    Gundry
  • Heeren Strategies for solving constraints in type and effect systems Electronic Notes in
    Hage
  • tutorial implementation of dynamic pattern unification Unpublished draft http adam gundry co uk pub pattern unify pattern unification pdf
    Gundry
  • Migrating gradual types Proceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages Article
    Campora