SMLtoJs: Hosting a standard ML compiler in a Web browser

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

Standard ML is a strictly typed functional programming language that provides programmers with many powerful features, including parametric polymorphism, pattern matching, and a rich module system. In this paper, we present SMLtoJs, an optimizing compiler that compiles Standard ML programs into JavaScript to be executed in any JavaScript-supported Web browser. SMLtoJs supports all of Standard ML and most of the Standard ML Basis Library, which allows for the SMLtoJs compiler itself to be compiled and executed in a browser. We present the overall structure of SMLtoJs, including the non-JavaScript aware front-end and the JavaScript-specific backend. We also present SMLtoJs's type safe interface for interacting with native JavaScript, such as the DOM api. Finally, we present the details of the JavaScript-specific optimizations, including how SMLtoJs deals with tail recursion, which enable complex Standard ML programs to be compiled into efficient JavaScript.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPLASTIC'11 - Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGPLAN International Workshop on Programming Language and Systems Technologies for Internet Clients
Number of pages10
Publication date2011
Pages39-48
ISBN (Print)9781450311717
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Event1st ACM SIGPLAN International Workshop on Programming Language and Systems Technologies for Internet Clients, PLASTIC'11 - Portland, OR, United States
Duration: 24 Oct 201124 Oct 2011

Conference

Conference1st ACM SIGPLAN International Workshop on Programming Language and Systems Technologies for Internet Clients, PLASTIC'11
LandUnited States
ByPortland, OR
Periode24/10/201124/10/2011
SponsorACM SIGPLAN
SeriesPLASTIC'11 - Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGPLAN International Workshop on Programming Language and Systems Technologies for Internet Clients

    Research areas

  • javascript, standard ml

ID: 375210900