Programming Languages: Concepts and Constructs

This book is designed for a junior or senior level course on programming languages. When supplemented by readings from the literature, it could also be used for a graduate course. It presumes that the reader is familiar enough with any one programming language to have run some programs. Two observations have guided the selection and organization of material in this book: (1) A small number of concepts underlie most of the hundreds of programming languages that have been designed and implemented. (2) The best way to learn programming is by doing by using a language to solve problems. Programming experience with a few carefully selected languages is preferable to passing acquaintance with as many languages as possible.