${all the world's a stage}

Staged programming in Scala 3

Chris Birchall

47 Degrees

Agenda

 

  • Metaprogramming fundamentals
  • Macros in Scala 3
  • Runtime staging
  • (Multi-stage programming)
# ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

Metaprogramming

# FUNDAMENTALS

"code about code"

 

we will be dealing with functions that:

  • take representations of code as input
  • return representations of code as output

Q: Why would we want to do that?

Quoting and splicing

# FUNDAMENTALS
val x = 3
val y = 2
x + y + 5
val expr: Expr[Int] = '{
  val x = 3
  val y = 2
  x + y + 5
}

quote

plain old

Scala code

representation

of that code

Quoting and splicing

# FUNDAMENTALS
val x = 3
val y = 2
x + y + 5

quote

plain old

Scala code

'{
  ...
  $expr
  ...
}
val expr: Expr[Int] = '{
  val x = 3
  val y = 2
  x + y + 5
}

representation

of that code

splice

# FUNDAMENTALS
${'{e}} = e
'{${e}} = e

Quoting and splicing are duals.

For any expression e:

# FUNDAMENTALS

Stages (a.k.a. levels or phases)

val x = 1

Level

0

Plain old Scala code is level 0

# FUNDAMENTALS

Stages (a.k.a. levels or phases)

def foo(using Quotes): Expr[Int] = '{ 1 + 2 }

Level

0

1

Quoting increases level by 1

# FUNDAMENTALS

Stages (a.k.a. levels or phases)

def foo(x: Expr[Int])(using Quotes): Expr[Int] = '{ ${x} + 1 }

Level

0

1

Splicing reduces level by 1

# FUNDAMENTALS

Stages (a.k.a. levels or phases)

Variables must be bound and used on the same level

(x is bound on level 0, trying to use on level 1)

def foo(using Quotes): Expr[Int] =
  val x = 1
  '{ x + 2 }

(x is bound on level 1, trying to use on level 0)

def bar(using Quotes): Expr[Int => Int] =
  '{ (x: Int) => $x + 2 }
# FUNDAMENTALS

Intuition

Quotes indicate that we are constructing a computation which will run in a future stage

A splice indicates that we must perform an immediate computation while building the quoted computation

def someComplicatedFunction(): Expr[Int] = ???
// returns '{ 4 + 5 }

'{ ${someComplicatedFunction()} * 2 }
# FUNDAMENTALS

Intuition: string interpolation

s"foo ${val y = "yeah"; s"hello $y wow"} baz"
val x = "bar"

s"foo $x baz"
# MACROS

World's simplest macro: unless 

import scala.quoted.*

def unlessImpl(pred: Expr[Boolean], f: Expr[Unit])(using Quotes): Expr[Unit] =
  '{ if (!$pred) $f }
# MACROS

World's simplest macro: unless 

inline def unless(pred: Boolean)(f: => Unit): Unit = ${ unlessImpl('pred, 'f) }
import scala.quoted.*

def unlessImpl(pred: Expr[Boolean], f: Expr[Unit])(using Quotes): Expr[Unit] =
  '{ if (!$pred) $f }
# MACROS

World's simplest macro: unless 

unless(x >= 1){ println("x was less than 1") }
inline def unless(pred: Boolean)(f: => Unit): Unit = ${ unlessImpl('pred, 'f) }
import scala.quoted.*

def unlessImpl(pred: Expr[Boolean], f: Expr[Unit])(using Quotes): Expr[Unit] =
  '{ if (!$pred) $f }
# MACROS

Macro expansion

unless(x >= 1){ println("x was less than 1")}
${ unlessImpl('{ x >= 1 }, '{ println("x was less than 1") }) }

inlining

if (!${'{ x >= 1 }}) ${'{ println("x was less than 1") }}

splice

if (!(x >= 1)) { println("x was less than 1") }

more splices

# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial

Without a macro:

def factorial(n: Int): Int =
  n match {
    case 1 => 1
    case x => x * factorial(x - 1)
  }

Let's move that recursion from runtime to compile time

# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial

Without a macro:

def factorial(n: Int): Int =
  n match {
    case 1 => 1
    case x => x * factorial(x - 1)
  }

Equivalent macro:

def factorialMacro(n: Expr[Int]): Expr[Int] =
  n match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{ x * ${factorialMacro(x - 1)} }
  }

can't match on an Expr like that

# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

def factorialMacro(n: Expr[Int]): Expr[Int] =
  n.valueOrError match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{ x * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
  }

can't reference value x like that

[error] 14 |    case x => '{ x * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
[error]    |                 ^
[error]    |                 access to value x from wrong staging level:
[error]    |                  - the definition is at level 0,
[error]    |                  - but the access is at level 1.
# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

def factorialMacro(n: Expr[Int]): Expr[Int] =
  n.valueOrError match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{ $x * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
  }

nope, that doesn't make sense

[error] 14 |    case x => '{ $x * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
[error]    |                  ^
[error]    |                  Found:    (x : Int)
[error]    |                  Required: quoted.Expr[Any]

umm... splice it?

# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

def factorialMacro(n: Expr[Int]): Expr[Int] =
  n.valueOrError match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{ '{x} * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
  }

no, that gives us weird nested quotes

[error] 14 |    case x => '{ '{x} * ${factorialMacro(...)} }
[error]    |                 ^^^^^^
[error]    |value * is not a member of quoted.Expr[Int], ...

ok, quote it?

# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

def factorialMacro(n: Expr[Int]): Expr[Int] =
  n.valueOrError match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{ ${Expr(x)} * ${factorialMacro(Expr(x - 1))} }
  }

we need to lift the static value into a representation

object Expr {
  ...
    
  /** Creates an expression that will construct the value `x` */
  def apply[T](x: T)(using ToExpr[T])(using Quotes): Expr[T] =
    scala.Predef.summon[ToExpr[T]].apply(x)

}
# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

inline def factorial(n: Int): Int = ${ factorialMacro('n) }

finally we can call our macro!

println(factorial(5)) // prints 120 
# MACROS

More interesting macro: factorial 

println("Give me a number and I'll calculate its factorial for you")
println(factorial(scala.io.StdIn.readInt()))

can we build factorial-as-a-service?

[error] 8 |  println(factorial(scala.io.StdIn.readInt()))
[error]   |                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
[error]   |Expected a known value.
[error]   |
[error]   |The value of: n$proxy1
[error]   |could not be extracted using scala.quoted.FromExpr$PrimitiveFromExpr@4755601c

nope, a macro can't match on a value that's not known until runtime

# STAGED PROGRAMMING

We need... runtime staged programming

  1. receive user input at runtime
  2. generate code at runtime, guided by that input
  3. run the generated code
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staged factorial

def factorialStaged(n: Int)(using Quotes): Expr[Int] =
  n match {
    case 1 => '{1}
    case x => '{${Expr(x)} * ${factorialStaged(x - 1)}}
  }
import scala.quoted.staging.*

def runFactorialStaged(n: Int): Int =
  given Compiler = Compiler.make(getClass.getClassLoader)

  run(factorialStaged(n))
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Macros vs staged programming

Macros

Runtime staged programming

Use quotes 'n' splices...

Use quotes 'n' splices...

to construct a program fragment...

to construct a program fragment...

at compile time...

at runtime...

and inline it at compile time

and then interpret it at runtime

# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staging example: list membership

def member[A](list: List[A])(a: A): Boolean =
  list match {
    case Nil     => false
    case x :: xs => (a == x) || member(xs)(a)
  }
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staging example: list membership

def member[A](list: List[A])(a: A): Boolean =
  list match {
    case Nil     => false
    case x :: xs => (a == x) || member(xs)(a)
  }
def memberStaged[A: Type: ToExpr](list: List[A])(a: Expr[A])(using Quotes): Expr[Boolean] =
  list match {
    case Nil     => '{ false }
    case x :: xs => '{ ($a == ${Expr(x)}) || ${memberStaged(xs)(a)} }
  }
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staging example: list membership

def memberStaged[A: Type: ToExpr](list: List[A])(a: Expr[A])(using Quotes): Expr[Boolean] =
  list match {
    case Nil     => '{ false }
    case x :: xs => '{ ($a == ${Expr(x)}) || ${memberStaged(xs)(a)} }
  }
def stage(list: List[String]): String => Boolean =
  given Compiler = Compiler.make(getClass.getClassLoader)

  run(
    val code: Expr[String => Boolean] = '{ (x: String) => ${memberStaged(list)('x)} }
    println("Staged code: " + code.show)
    code
  )
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staging example: list membership

def stage(list: List[String]): String => Boolean =
  given Compiler = Compiler.make(getClass.getClassLoader)

  run(
    val code: Expr[String => Boolean] = '{ (x: String) => ${memberStaged(list)('x)} }
    println("Staged code: " + code.show)
    code
  )
val contains: String => Boolean = stage(List("foo", "bar", "baz"))
// Staged code: ((x: String) => x.==("foo").||(x.==("bar").||(x.==("baz").||(false))))

contains("bar") // true
contains("wow") // false
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Final example: staged DSL interpreter

Quantified Boolean Formula

\exists x \forall y (x \lor \lnot{y}) \land (\lnot{x} \lor y)
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Let's implement a DSL for QBF

Two main approaches

  1. Initial encoding (data structure)
  2. Final encoding (functions)
# STAGED PROGRAMMING
\exists x \forall y (x \lor \lnot{y}) \land (x \implies (\lnot{x} \lor y))
enum QBF:
  case Var(name: String)
  case And(a: QBF, b: QBF)
  case Or(a: QBF, b: QBF)
  case Not(a: QBF)
  case Implies(ante: QBF, cons: QBF)
  case Forall(name: String, a: QBF)
  case Exists(name: String, a: QBF)
# STAGED PROGRAMMING
def eval(qbf: QBF, env: Map[String, Boolean]): Boolean =
  qbf match {
    case Var(name)           => env(name)
    case And(a, b)           => eval(a, env) && eval(b, env)
    case Or(a, b)            => eval(a, env) || eval(b, env)
    case Not(a)              => !(eval(a, env))
    case Implies(ante, cons) => eval(Or(cons, And(Not(ante), Not(cons))), env)
    case Forall(name, a)     =>
      def check(value: Boolean) = eval(a, env + (name -> value))
      check(true) && check(false)
    case Exists(name, a)     =>
      def check(value: Boolean) = eval(a, env + (name -> value))
      check(true) || check(false)
  }

Single-stage interpreter

def evaluate(qbf: QBF): Boolean = eval(qbf, Map.empty)
# STAGED PROGRAMMING
def evalStaged(qbf: QBF, env: Map[String, Expr[Boolean]])(using Quotes): Expr[Boolean] =
  qbf match {
    case Var(name)           => env(name)
    case And(a, b)           => '{ ${evalStaged(a, env)} && ${evalStaged(b, env)} }
    case Or(a, b)            => '{ ${evalStaged(a, env)} || ${evalStaged(b, env)} }
    case Not(a)              => '{ ! ${evalStaged(a, env)} }
    case Implies(ante, cons) => evalStaged(Or(cons, And(Not(ante), Not(cons))), env)
    case Forall(name, a)     => '{
      def check(value: Boolean) = ${evalStaged(a, env + (name -> 'value))}
      check(true) && check(false)
    }
    case Exists(name, a)     => '{
      def check(value: Boolean) = ${evalStaged(a, env + (name -> 'value))}
      check(true) || check(false)
    }
  }

Staged interpreter

def evaluateStaged(qbf: QBF): Boolean =
  given Compiler = Compiler.make(getClass.getClassLoader)

  run(evalStaged(qbf, Map.empty))
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Staged interpreter - example

{
  def check(value: scala.Boolean): scala.Boolean =
    value.||(value.||(value.unary_!).||(value.unary_!.&&(value.||(value.unary_!).unary_!)))
  check(true).&&(check(false))
}
\forall x (x \lor (x \implies (x \lor \lnot{x})))
# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Multi-stage programs

If we can construct

Expr[T]

there's nothing* to stop us from constructing

Expr[Expr[T]]

Expr[Expr[Expr[T]]]

...

*apart from a desire to preserve our sanity, and a slightly clunky developer experience in Scala 3

# STAGED PROGRAMMING

Multi-stage programs

Examples

# CONCLUSION

Summary

  • Principled metaprogramming framework in Scala 3
  • Two fundamental operations
    • Quotes to construct a future computation
    • Splices to perform an immediate computation
  • Metaprogramming is useful for optimisation
  • Staging allows code generation driven by runtime values
# CONCLUSION

Resources

# CONCLUSION

Resources (cont.)

# CONCLUSION

Slides

https://slides.com/cb372/staged-programming-in-scala-3

 

Code

https://github.com/cb372/staged-programming-in-scala-3

${and let this world no longer be a stage}

Staged programming in Scala 3

By Chris Birchall

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Staged programming in Scala 3

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