Modlisp

Abstract

This paper discusses the design and implementation of MODLISP, a LISP-like language enhanced with the idea of MODes. This extension permits, but does not require, the user to declare the types of various variables, and to compile functions with the arguments declared to be of a particular type. It is possible to declare several functions of the same name, with arguments of different type (e.g. PLUS could be declared for Integer arguments, or Rational, or Real, or even Polynomial arguments) and the system will apply the correct function for the types of the arguments.