ocaml/experimental/frisch/extension_points.txt

This file describes the changes on the extension_points branch.


=== Attributes

Attributes are "decorations" of the syntax tree which are ignored by
the type-checker.  An attribute is made of an identifier (written id)
and an optional expression (written expr below).

The identifier can be a lowercase or uppercase identifier (including
OCaml keywords) or a sequence of such atomic identifiers separated with
a dots (whitespaces are allowed around the dots).  In the Parsetree,
the identifier is represented as a single string (without spaces).

Attributes on expressions, type expressions, module expressions, module type expressions,
patterns, class expressions, class type expressions:
 
  ... [@id expr]

The same syntax [@id expr] is also available to add attributes on
constructors and labels in type declarations:

  type t =
    | A [@id1]
    | B [@id2] of int [@id3]

Here, id1 (resp. id2) is attached to the constructor A (resp. B)
and id3 is attached to the int type expression.  Example on records:

 type t =
   {
      x [@id1]: int;
      mutable y [@id2] [@id3]: string [@id4];
   }  


Attributes on items:

  ... [@@id expr]

  Items designate signature items, structure items, class fields,
  class type fields and also individual components of multiple
  declaration in structures and signatures (type declarations, recursive modules, class
  declarations, class type declarations).

  For instance, consider:

    type t1 = ... [@@id1] [@@id2] and t2 = ... [@@id3] [@@id4]

  Here, the attributes on t1 are id1, id23; the attributes on
  t2 are id3 and id4.

  Note: item attributes are currently not supported on Pstr_eval
  and Pstr_value structure items.

  The [@@id expr] form, when used at the beginning of a signature or
  structure, or after a double semi-colon (;;), defines an attribute
  which stands as a stand-alone signature or structure item (not
  attached to another item).

  Example:

  module type S = sig
    [@@id1]
    type t
    [@@id2]
    ;; [@@id3] [@@id4]
    ;; [@@id5]
    type s
    [@@id6]
  end

  Here, id1, id3, id4, id5 are stand-alone attributes, while
  id2 is attached to the type t and id6 is attached to the type s.

=== Extension nodes

Extension nodes replace valid components in the syntax tree.  They are
normally interpreted and expanded by AST mapper.  The type-checker
fails when it encounters such an extension node.  An extension node is
made of an identifier (an "LIDENT", written id below) and an optional
expression (written expr below).

Two syntaxes exist for extension node:

As expressions, type expressions, module expressions, module type expressions,
patterns, class expressions, class type expressions:

  [%id expr]

As structure item, signature item, class field, class type field:
 
  [%%id expr]

As other structure item, signature item, class field or class type
field, attributes can be attached to a [%%id expr] extension node.


=== Alternative syntax for attributes and extensions on specific kinds of nodes

All expression constructions starting with a keyword (EXPR = KW REST) support an
alternative syntax for attributes and/or extensions:

  KW[@id expr]...[@id expr] REST
  ---->
  EXPR[@id expr]...[@id expr]

  KW%id REST
  ---->
  [%id EXPR]

  KW%id[@id expr]...[@id expr] REST
  ---->
  [%id EXPR[@id expr]...[@id expr]]


where KW can stand for:
 assert
 begin
 for
 fun
 function
 if
 lazy
 let
 let module
 let open
 match
 new
 object
 try
 while


For instance:

let[@foo] x = 2 in x + 1   ====   (let x = 2 in x + 1)[@foo]
begin[@foo] ... end        ====   (begin ... end)[@foo]
match%foo e with ...       ====   [%foo match e with ...]


=== Quoted strings

Quoted strings gives a different syntax to write string literals in
OCaml code.  This will typically be used to support embedding pieces
of foreign syntax fragments (to be interpret by a -ppx filter or just
a library) in OCaml code.

The opening delimiter has the form {id| where id is a (possibly empty)
sequence of lowercase letters.  The corresponding closing delimiter is
|id} (the same identifier).  Contrary to regular OCaml string
literals, quoted strings don't interpret any character in a special
way.

Example:

String.length {|\"|}   (* returns 2 *)
String.length {foo|\"|foo}   (* returns 2 *)


The fact that a string literal comes from a quoted string is kept in
the Parsetree representation.  The Astypes.Const_string constructor is
now defined as:

  | Const_string of string * string option

where the "string option" represents the delimiter (None for a string
literal with the regular syntax).


=== Representation of attributes in the Parsetree

Attributes as standalone signature/structure items are represented
by a new constructor:

  | Psig_attribute of attribute
  | Pstr_attribute of attribute

Most other attributes are stored in an extra field in their record:

and expression =  {
  ...
  pexp_attributes: attribute list;
  ...
}
and type_declaration = {
  ...
  ptype_attributes: attribute list;
  ...
}

In a previous version, attributes on expressions (and types, patterns,
etc) used to be stored as a new constructor.  The current choice makes
it easier to pattern match on structured AST fragments while ignoring
attributes.

For open/include signature/structure items and exception rebind
structure item, the attributes are stored directly in the constructor
of the item:

  | Pstr_open of Longident.t loc * attribute list


=== Attributes in the Typedtree

The Typedtree representation has been updated to follow closely the
Parsetree, and attributes are kept exactly as in the Parsetree.  This
can allow external tools to process .cmt/.cmti files and process
attributes in them.  An example of a mini-ocamldoc based on this
technique is in experimental/frisch/minidoc.ml.


=== Other changes to the parser and Parsetree

--- Introducing Ast_helper module

This module simplifies the creation of AST fragments, without having to
touch the concrete type definitions of Parsetree. Record and sum types
are encapsulated in builder functions, with some optional arguments, e.g.
to represent attributes.

--- Relaxing the syntax for signatures and structures

It is now possible to start a signature or a structure with a ";;" token and to have two successive ";;" tokens.

Rationale:
   It makes it possible to always prefix a "standalone" attribute by ";;" independently
   from its context (this will work at the beginning of the signature/structure and after
   another item finished with ";;").

-- Relaxing the syntax for exception declarations

The parser now accepts the same syntax for exceptioon declarations as for constructor declarations,
which permits the GADT syntax:

 exception A : int -> foo

The type-checker rejects this form.  Note that it is also possible to
define exception whose name is () or ::.

Attributes can be put on the constructor or on the whole declaration:

 exception A[@foo] of int [@@bar]

Rationale:
  One less notion in the Parsetree, more uniform parsing.  Also
  open the door to existentials in exception constructors.

--- Relaxing the syntax for recursive modules

Before:
   module X1 : MT1 = M1 and ... and Xn : MTn = Mn

Now:
   module X1 = M1 and ... and Xn = Mn
   (with the usual sugar that Xi = (Mi : MTi) can be written as Xi : MTi = Mi
   which gives the old syntax)

   The type-checker fails when a module expression is not of
   the form (M : MT)
   

Rationale:

1. More uniform representation in the Parsetree.

2. The type-checker can be made more clever in the future to support
   other forms of module expressions (e.g. functions with an explicit
   constraint on its result; or a structure with only type-level
   components).
    
      
--- Turning some tuple or n-ary constructors into records

Before:

  | Pstr_module of string loc * module_expr

After:

  | Pstr_module of module_binding
...
  and module_binding =
    {
     pmb_name: string loc;
     pmb_expr: module_expr;
     pmb_attributes: attribute list;
    }



Rationale:

More self-documented, more robust to future additions (such as
attributes), simplifies some code.


--- Keeping names inside value_description and type_declaration

Before:

  | Psig_type of (string loc * type_declaration) list


After:

  | Psig_type of type_declaration list

....
and type_declaration =
  { ptype_name: string loc;
    ...
  }

Rationale:

More self-documented, simplifies some code.


--- Better representation of variance information on type parameters

Introduced a new type Asttypes.variance to represent variance
(Covariant/Contravariant/Invariant) and use it instead of bool * bool
in Parsetree.  Moreover, variance information is now attached
directly to the parameters fields:

 and type_declaration =
   { ptype_name: string loc;
-    ptype_params: string loc option list;
+    ptype_params: (string loc option * variance) list;
     ptype_cstrs: (core_type * core_type * Location.t) list;
     ptype_kind: type_kind;
     ptype_private: private_flag;
     ptype_manifest: core_type option;
-    ptype_variance: (bool * bool) list;
     ptype_attributes: attribute list;
     ptype_loc: Location.t }


--- Getting rid of 'Default' case in Astypes.rec_flag

This constructor was used internally only during the compilation of
default expression for optional arguments, in order to trigger a
subsequent optimization (see PR#5975).  This behavior is now
implemented by creating an attribute internally (whose name "#default"
cannot be used in real programs).

Rationale:

 - Attributes give a way to encode information local to the
   type-checker without polluting the definition of the Parsetree.

--- Simpler and more faithful representation of object types

-  | Ptyp_object of core_field_type list
+  | Ptyp_object of (string * core_type) list * closed_flag

(and get rid of Parsetree.core_field_type)

And same in the Typedtree.

Rationale:

 - More faithful representation of the syntax really supported
   (i.e. the ".." can only be the last field).
 - One less "concept" in the Parsetree.


--- Do not require empty Ptyp_poly nodes in the Parsetree

The type-checker automatically inserts Ptyp_poly node (with no
variable) where needed.  It is still allowed to put empty
Ptyp_poly nodes in the Parsetree. 

Rationale:

 - Less chance that Ast-related code forget to insert those nodes.

To be discussed: should we segrate simple_poly_type from core_type in the
Parsetree to prevent Ptyp_poly nodes to be inserted in the wrong place?


--- Use constructor names closer to concrete syntax

E.g. Pcf_cstr -> Pcf_constraint.

Rationale:

 - Make the Parsetree more self-documented.

--- Merge concrete/virtual val and method constructors

As in the Typedtree.

-  | Pcf_valvirt of (string loc * mutable_flag * core_type)
-  | Pcf_val of (string loc * mutable_flag * override_flag * expression)
-  | Pcf_virt of (string loc * private_flag * core_type)
-  | Pcf_meth of (string loc * private_flag * override_flag * expression)
+  | Pcf_val of (string loc * mutable_flag * class_field_kind)
+  | Pcf_method of (string loc * private_flag * class_field_kind
...
+and class_field_kind =
+  | Cfk_virtual of core_type
+  | Cfk_concrete of override_flag * expression
+

--- Explicit representation of "when" guards

Replaced the "(pattern * expression) list" argument of Pexp_function, Pexp_match, Pexp_try 
with "case list", with case defined as:

  {
   pc_lhs: pattern;
   pc_guard: expression option;
   pc_rhs: expression;
  }

and get rid of Pexp_when. Idem in the Typedtree.

Rationale:

  - Make it explicit when the guard can appear.

--- Get rid of "fun p when guard -> e"

See #5939, #5936.


--- Get rid of the location argument on pci_params

It was only used for error messages, and we get better location using
the location of each parameter variable.

--- More faithful representation of "with constraint"

All kinds of "with constraints" used to be represented together with a
Longident.t denoting the constrained identifier.  Now, each constraint
keeps its own constrainted identifier, which allows us to express more
invariants in the Parsetree (such as: := constraints cannot be on qualified
identifiers).  Also, we avoid mixing in a single Longident.t identifier
which can be LIDENT or UIDENT.

--- Get rid of the "#c [> `A]" syntax

See #5936, #5983.

--- Keep interval patterns in the Parsetree

They used to be expanded into or-patterns by the parser.  It is better to do
the expansion in the type-checker to allow -ppx rewriters to see the interval
patterns.

Note: Camlp4 parsers still expand interval patterns themselves (TODO?).

--- Get rid of Pexp_assertfalse

Do not treat specially "assert false" in the parser any more, but
instead in the type-checker.  This simplifies the Parsetree and avoids
a potential source of confusion.  Moreove, this ensures that
attributes can be put (and used by ppx rewriters) on the "false"
expressions.  This is also more robust, since it checks that the
condition is the constructor "false" after type-checking the condition:

 - if "false" is redefined (as a constructor of a different sum type),
   an error will be reported;

 - "extra" layers which are represented as exp_extra in the typedtree
   won't break the detection of the "false", e.g. the following will
   be recognized as "assert false":

     assert(false : bool)
     assert(let open X in false)

=== More TODOs

- Adapt pprintast to print attributes and extension nodes.
- Adapt Camlp4 (both its parser(s) and its internal representation of OCaml ASTs).
- Consider adding hooks to the type-checker so that custom extension expanders can be registered (a la OCaml Templates).
- Make the Ast_helper module more user-friendly (e.g. with optional arguments and good default values) and/or
  expose higher-level convenience functions.
- Document Ast_helper modules.

=== Use cases

From https://github.com/gasche/ocaml-syntax-extension-discussion/wiki/Use-Cases

-- Bisect

  let f x =
  match List.map foo [x; a x; b x] with
  | [y1; y2; y3] -> tata
  | _ -> assert false [@bisect VISIT]

;;[@@bisect IGNORE-BEGIN]
let unused = ()
;;[@@bisect IGNORE-END]

-- OCamldoc

val stats : ('a, 'b) t -> statistics
[@@doc
 "[Hashtbl.stats tbl] returns statistics about the table [tbl]:
  number of buckets, size of the biggest bucket, distribution of
  buckets by size."
]
[@@since "4.00.0"]

;;[@@doc section 6 "Functorial interface"]

module type HashedType =
  sig
    type t
      [@@doc "The type of the hashtable keys."]
    val equal : t -> t -> bool
      [@@doc "The equality predicate used to compare keys."]
  end


-- type-conv, deriving

type t = {
  x : int [@default 42];
  y : int [@default 3] [@sexp_drop_default];
  z : int [@default 3] [@sexp_drop_if z_test];
} [@@sexp]


type r1 = {
  r1_l1 : int;
  r1_l2 : int;
} [@@deriving (Dump, Eq, Show, Typeable, Pickle, Functor)]

-- camlp4 map/fold generators

type variable = string
 and term =
  | Var of variable
  | Lam of variable * term
  | App of term * term


class map = [%generate_map term]
or:
[%%generate_map map term]


-- ocaml-rpc

type t = { foo [@rpc "type"]: int; bar [@rpc "let"]: int }
[@@ rpc]

or:

type t = { foo: int; bar: int }
[@@ rpc ("foo" > "type"), ("bar" > "let")]



-- pa_monad

begin%monad
  a <-- [1; 2; 3];
  b <-- [3; 4; 5];
  return (a + b)
end

-- pa_lwt

let%lwt x = start_thread foo
and y = start_other_thread foo in
try%lwt
  let%for_lwt (x, y) = waiting_threads in
  compute blah
with Killed -> bar

-- Bolt

let funct n =
  [%log "funct(%d)" n LEVEL DEBUG];
  for i = 1 to n do
    print_endline "..."
  done


-- pre-polyrecord

let r = [%polyrec x = 1; y = ref None]
let () = [%polyrec r.y <- Some 2]

-- orakuda

function%regexp
  | "$/^[0-9]+$/" as v -> `Int (int_of_string v#_0)
  | "$/^[a-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*$" as v -> `Variable v#_0
  | _ -> failwith "parse error"

-- bitstring

let bits = Bitstring.bitstring_of_file "/bin/ls" in
match%bitstring bits with
| [ 0x7f, 8; "ELF", 24, string;  (* ELF magic number *)
    e_ident, Mul(12,8), bitstring;    (* ELF identifier *)
    e_type, 16, littleendian;    (* object file type *)
    e_machine, 16, littleendian  (* architecture *)
  ] ->
  printf "This is an ELF binary, type %d, arch %d\n"
    e_type e_machine

-- sedlex

let rec token buf =
  let%regexp ('a'..'z'|'A'..'Z') = letter in
  match%sedlex buf with
  | number -> Printf.printf "Number %s\n" (Sedlexing.Latin1.lexeme buf); token buf
  | letter, Star ('A'..'Z' | 'a'..'z' | digit) -> Printf.printf "Ident %s\n" (Sedlexing.Latin1.lexeme buf); token buf
  | Plus xml_blank -> token buf
  | Plus (Chars "+*-/") -> Printf.printf "Op %s\n" (Sedlexing.Latin1.lexeme buf); token buf
  | Range(128,255) -> print_endline "Non ASCII"
  | eof -> print_endline "EOF"
  | _ -> failwith "Unexpected character"


-- cppo

[%%ifdef DEBUG]
[%%define debug(s) = Printf.eprintf "[%S %i] %s\n%!" __FILE__ __LINE__ s]
[%%else]
[%%define debug(s) = ()]
[%%endif]

debug("test")


-- PG'OCaml

let fetch_users dbh =
  [%pgsql dbh "select id, name from users"]


-- Macaque

let names view = [%view {name = t.name}, t <- !view]" 


-- Cass

let color1 = [%css{| black |}]
let color2 = [%css{| gray |}]
 
let button = [%css{|
   .button {
     $Css.gradient ~low:color2 ~high:color1$;
     color: white;
     $Css.top_rounded$;
 |}]