Concurrent ML is a programming language used to develop computer systems that can perform multiple tasks simultaneously. This term is spelled using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /kənˈkʌrənt ɛmɛl/. The first syllable "kən-" is pronounced with a short and unstressed "uh" sound, followed by "kʌr" with a stressed "ur" sound. The second word "emɛl" represents an abbreviation of "ML" and is pronounced with a shortened "e" sound followed by "mel" pronounced with a clear "ell" sound. Together the term represents a powerful programming language used to optimize modern computing systems.
Concurrent ML (CML) is a programming language that combines concurrent programming constructs with ML-type functional programming. It provides a way to express and control concurrency in a high-level and expressive manner.
CML is based on the functional programming language ML, which is known for its strong static typing and type inference capabilities. It extends ML's syntax and semantics with a set of concurrent programming primitives, allowing programmers to express concurrency and synchronization in a more abstract and declarative way.
In CML, concurrency is achieved through the use of lightweight threads, known as processes. These processes are not operating system threads, but rather abstractions that allow multiple computations to occur simultaneously. CML provides constructs for creating processes, sending messages between processes, and synchronizing their execution.
One of the key features of CML is its support for synchronous message passing. Processes can communicate with each other by sending and receiving messages, and the synchronization happens implicitly when a message is sent or received. This makes it easier to reason about concurrency and eliminates many of the common pitfalls associated with thread-based programming.
CML also provides constructs for higher-level synchronization patterns, such as condition variables, mutexes, and semaphores, allowing for more complex coordination between processes.
Overall, CML is designed to provide a high-level and expressive way to program concurrent and parallel systems, while still maintaining the safety and correctness guarantees of functional programming.
The etymology of the term "Concurrent ML" (CML) can be broken down as follows:
1. Concurrent: The word "concurrent" comes from the Latin word "concurrere", which consists of two elements: "con-" meaning "together" and "currere" meaning "to run". It refers to things happening or occurring at the same time or overlapping in time.
2. ML: ML stands for Meta Language. It refers to a programming language developed in the 1970s primarily for artificial intelligence research. Originally, it was used as a metalanguage for writing theorem provers and compiler verifiers. Later, it influenced the development of functional programming languages, such as Standard ML and Concurrent ML.
Therefore, the term "Concurrent ML" combines the idea of concurrency (multiple things happening simultaneously) with the ML programming language, specifically referring to a concurrent programming language built on top of Standard ML.