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Here are the places where MLton deviates from The Definition of Standard ML. In general, MLton complies with the Definition quite closely, typically much more closely than other SML compilers (see, e.g., our list of SML/NJ's deviations). In fact, the three deviations listed here are the only known deviations, and we have no plans to fix them. If you find a deviation not listed here, please report a Bug.

We don't plan to fix these bugs because one of them (parsing nested cases) has historically never been accepted by any SML compiler, while the other three clearly indicate problems in the Definition.

- MLton does not correctly parse case expressions nested within other matches. For example, the following fails.

      fun f 0 y =
            case x of
               1 => 2
             | _ => 3
        | f _ y = 4

  To do this in a program, simply parenthesize the case expression.

  Allowing such expressions, although compliant with the Definition, would be a mistake, since using parentheses is clearer and no SML compiler has ever allowed them. Furthermore, implementing this would require serious yacc grammar rewriting followed by postprocessing.

- MLton rejects rebinding of constructors with `val rec` declarations, as in

       val rec NONE = fn () => ()

  The Definition (bizarrely) requires this program to type check, but to raise `Bind`.

  We have no plans to change this behavior, as the Definition's behavior is clearly an error, a mismatch between the static semantics and the dynamic semantics.

- MLton does not hide the equality aspect of types declared in abstype declarations. So, MLton accepts programs like the following, while the Definition rejects them.

      abstype t = T with end
      val _ = fn (t1, t2 : t) => t1 = t2

      abstype t = T with val a = T end
      val _ = a = a

  One consequence of this choice is that MLton accepts the following program, in accordance with the Definition.

       abstype t = T with val eq = op = end
       val _ = fn (t1, t2 : t) => eq (t1, t2)

  Other implementations will typically reject this program, because they make an early choice for the type of `eq` to be `''a * ''a -> bool` instead of `t * t -> bool`. The choice is understandable, since the Definition accepts the following program.

       abstype t = T with val eq = op = end
       val _ = eq (1, 2)

- MLton (re-)type checks each functor definition at every corresponding functor application (the compilation technique of defunctorization). One consequence of this implementation is that MLton accepts the following program, while the Definition rejects it.

      functor F (X: sig type t end) = struct
          val f = id id
      end
      structure A = F (struct type t = int end)
      structure B = F (struct type t = bool end)
      val _ = A.f 10
      val _ = B.f "dude"

  On the other hand, other implementations will typically reject the following program, while MLton and the Definition accept it.

      functor F (X: sig type t end)
      = struct
          val f = id id
      end
      structure A = F (struct type t = int end)
      structure B = F (struct type t = bool end)
      val _ = A.f 10
      val _ = B.f false

  See DreyerBlume07 for more details.

Last edited on 2007-08-15 22:07:38 by MatthewFluet.