Extended abstract of MIX: A self-applicable partial evaluator for experiments in compiler generation

Abstract

We have discussed partial evaluation of programs in statically scoped Lisp-like languages and described a self-applicable partial evaluator, mix, that has been successfully applied to generate compilers for toy languages, and even to generate a compiler generator. We assessed mix and gave tables of running times and space usage to illustrate its behavior. As a basis for this, we introduced a formal framework for partial evaluation, compiling, and compiler generation which enabled the presentation of mix's applications. We also described and discussed the language Mixwell that was designed as the subject language for mix.