Towards a Study of Meta-Predicate Semantics

Abstract

We describe and compare design choices for meta-predicate semantics, as found in representative Prolog module systems and in Logtalk. We look at the consequences of these design choices from a pragmatic perspective, discussing explicit qualification semantics, computational reflection support, expressiveness of meta-predicate declarations, safety of meta-predicate definitions, portability of meta-predicate definitions, and meta-predicate performance. Our aim is to provide useful insight for debating meta-predicate semantics and portability issues based on actual implementations and common usage patterns.

Online proceedings of the Joint Workshop on Implementation of Constraint Logic Programming Systems and Logic-based Methods in Programming Environments (CICLOPS-WLPE 2010), Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K., July 15, 2010