Standard ML - Definition and Overview

The SML programming language is a modern descendant of the ML programming language used in the LCF theorem-proving project. It is unique among widely used languages in that it has a formal specification, given as an operational semantics in The Definition of Standard ML.

Implementations

Some SML implementations include:

• MLton is a whole-program optimizing compiler that produces extremely fast code compared to other ML implementations. [1] (http://www.mlton.org)

• Moscow ML is a light-weight implementation, based on the CAML Light runtime engine. It implements the full SML language, including SML Modules, and much of the SML Basis Library. [2] (http://www.dina.kvl.dk/~sestoft/mosml.html)

• Poly/ML is a full implementation of Standard ML. [3] (http://www.polyml.org/)

• Standard ML of New Jersey (abbreviated SML/NJ) is a full compiler, with associated libraries, tools, an interactive shell, and documentation. [4] (http://www.smlnj.org/)

• SML2c is a batch compiler and compiles only module-level declarations (i.e. signatures, structures and functors) into C. Based on SML/NJ version 0.67 and shares front end and most of its run-time system, but does not support SML/NJ style debugging and profiling. Module-level programs that run on SML/NJ can be compiled by sml2c without any changes.

All of the implementations above are open-source and freely available. There are no commercial SML implementations.

See also

• Ocaml
• Extended ML
• EML
• Dependent ML

References

• R. Milner, M. Tofte, R. Harper and D. MacQueen. The Definition of Standard ML (Revised). ISBN 0262631814.