Combinator library

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A combinator library is a software library which implements combinators for a functional programming language; "the key idea is this: a combinator library offers functions (the combinators) that combine functions together to make bigger functions"^[1]. These kinds of libraries are particularly useful for allowing domain-specific programming languages to be easily embedded into a general purpose language by defining a few primitive functions for the given domain and turning over the task of expanding higher-level constructs to the general language. An example would be the monadic Parsec parser [1] for Haskell. The library approach allows the parsers to be first-class citizens of the language.

See also

• Runtime
• QuickCheck
• Pointless programming

References

1. ^ pg 35 of "History of Haskell"

External links

• "Designing and Using Combinators: The Essence of Functional Programming"
• Daan Leijen and Erik Meijer (2001). "Parsec: Direct Style Monadic Parser Combinators for the Real World". UU-CS-2001-27. 
• Daan Leijen and Erik Meijer (October 1999,). "Domain Specific Embedded Compilers", 109-122. 
• Hughes, John (1995). in Jeuring, J. and Meijer, E.: "The Design of a Pretty-printing Library" 925. Springer Verlag. 

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