A model for comparing the space usage of lazy evaluators

Identifying the source of space faults in functional programs is hard. The problem is compoundedas space usage can vary enormously from one implementation to another. We use a term-graph rewriting model to describe evaluators with explicit space usage. Given descriptions for two evaluators E1 and E2, if E1 never has asymptotically worse space usage than E2, we can use a bisimulation-like proof method to prove it. Conversely, if E1 is leakier than E2, we characterise a class of computations that expose the di erence between them. Keywords Space Leak, Heap Usage, Operational Semantics, Functional Programming, Term-graph Rewriting, Bisimulation, Garbage.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: PPDP
• Authors: Adam Bakewell, Colin Runciman
• Keywords: Compoundedas Space Usage, Explicit Space Usage, PPDP 2000, Programming Languages, Space Usage