Theory of Programming Languages Course Outline - University of Sargodha

Course Title: Theory of Programming Languages
Course Code: CS-4140
Course Structure: Lectures: 3/Labs: 0
Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: CS-3131 (Theory of Automata & Formal Languages)

Course Syllabus:

The Programming Language Spectrum, Compilation and Interpretation, Programming
Environments.Programming Language Syntax.Names, Scopes, and Bindings.Semantic Analysis.
Target Machine Architecture. Control Flow. Data Types.Subroutines and Control
Abstraction.Data Abstraction and Object Orientation.Functional Languages.Logic
Languages.Concurrency. Scripting Languages.

Course Outline:

1.     The Programming Language Spectrum, Compilation and Interpretation, Programming
Environments. [TB1: Ch. 1]

2.     Programming Language Syntax: Specifying Syntax, Scanning, Parsing, Finite & Push-
Down Automata, Grammar and Language Classes. [TB1: Ch. 2]

3.     Names, Scopes, And Bindings: The Notion Of Binding Time , Object Lifetime and
Storage Management, Scope Rules, Implementing Scope, The Meaning of Names
Within a Scope, The Binding of Referencing Environments, Macro Expansion, Separate
Compilation. [TB1: Ch. 3]

4.     Semantic Analysis: The Role of The Semantic Analyzer, Attribute Grammars,
Evaluating Attributes, Action Routines, Space Management for Attributes, Decorating a
Syntax Tree. [TB1: Ch. 4]

5.     Target Machine Architecture: The Memory Hierarchy, Data Representation, Instruction
Set Architecture, Architecture and Implementation, Compiling for Modern Processors.

6.     Control Flow: Expression Evaluation, Structured and Unstructured Flow, Sequencing,
Selection, Iteration, Recursion, Non-Determinacy. [TB1: Ch. 6]

7.     Data Types: Type Systems, Type Checking, Records (Structures) and Variants (Unions),
Arrays, Strings, Sets, Pointers and Recursive Types, Lists, Files and Input/Output,

Equality Testing and Assignment. [TB1: Ch. 7]

8.     Subroutines and Control Abstraction: Review of Stack Layout, Calling Sequences,
Parameter Passing, Generic Subroutines And Modules, Exception Handling, Coroutines,
Events. [TB1: Ch. 8]

9.     Data Abstraction and Object Orientation: Object-Oriented Programming, Encapsulation

and Inheritance, Initialization and Finalization, Dynamic Method Binding, Multiple
Inheritance, Object-Oriented Programming Revisited. [TB1: Ch. 9]

10. Functional Languages: Historical Origins, Functional Programming Concepts, A
Review/Overview of Scheme, Evaluation Order Revisited, Higher-Order Function.
Theoretical Foundations, Functional Programming In Perspective. [TB1: Ch. 10]

11. Logic Languages: Logic Programming Concepts, Prolog, Logic Programming in
Perspective. [TB1: Ch. 11]

12.  Concurrency: Background and Motivation, Concurrent Programming Fundamentals,
Implementing Synchronization, Language-Level Mechanisms, Message Passing. [TB1:
Ch. 12]

13.  Scripting Languages: What is a Scripting Language? Problem Domains, Scripting The
World Wide Web, Innovative Features. [TB1: Ch. 13]

Textbook(s):

rd

•          Programming Language Pragmatics by Michael L. Scott, Morgan Kaufmann; 3 Edition
(April 6, 2009). ISBN-10: 0123745144

Reference Material:

•          Theories of Programming Languages by John C. Reynolds, Cambridge University Press;
1^st Edition (April 2, 2009). ISBN-10: 0521106974

•          Introduction to the Theory of Programming Languages (Undergraduate Topics in
Computer Science) by Gilles Dowek and Jean-Jacques Levy, Springer; 1^st Edition,
(December 15, 2010). ISBN-10: 0857290754

•          Seven Languages in Seven Weeks: A Pragmatic Guide to Learning Programming
Languages (Pragmatic Programmers) by Bruce A. Tate, Pragmatic Bookshelf; 1^st Edition
(November 17, 2010). ISBN-10: 193435659X

•          Concepts in Programming Languages by John C. Mitchell, Cambridge University Press;
1^st Edition (October 14, 2002). ISBN-10: 0521780985

•          Advanced Programming Language Design by Raphael A. Finkel, Addison-Wesley; 1^st
Edition (December 31, 1995). ISBN-10: 0805311912

Note: This content is obtained from official documents of University of Sargodha and applied on BS Computer Science for Main Campus, Sub Campuses, and Affiliated Colleges.