The Next 700 Program Transformers

Abstract: In this paper, we describe a hierarchy of program transformers in which the transformer at each level of the hierarchy builds on top of those at lower levels. The program transformer at level 1 of the hierarchy corresponds to positive supercompilation, and that at level 2 corresponds to distillation. We prove that the transformers at each level terminate. We then consider the speedups that can be obtained at each level in the hierarchy, and try to characterise the improvements that can be made.