Hierarchical Modularity: Compilation Management for Standard ML

Abstract:

Many programming languages identify modular units with compilation
units, while only few extend this to permit hierarchies of
language-level modules within individual compilation units. But when
the number of such compilation units is large, then it becomes
increasingly important that they themselves can be grouped together
and that explicit export interfaces can be used to control
namespaces. We explain how the group model implemented in SML/NJ's
compilation manager CM provides the necessary facilities to avoid unwanted
interferences between unrelated parts of large programs. We also
discuss the problem of automatic dependency analysis as well as its
complexity and show ways of avoiding intractability.