Stella: A Python-based Domain-Specific Language for Simulations

Stella is a domain-specific language that (1) has single thread performance competitive with low-level languages, (2) supports object-oriented programming (OOP) to properly structure the code, and (3) is very easy to use. Instead of prototyping in a high-level language and then rewriting in a lower-level language, Stella is embedded in Python, is transparently usable, retains some OOP features, compiles to machine code, and executes at speed similar to C. Stella's source code is compatible with Python, and allows easy integration of C libraries. Its features are focused on the needs of scientific simulations. Other projects to speed up Python focus on easy integration, and smaller critical sections. In contrast, Stella supports translating larger programs in their entirety, and does not allow interaction with the Python run-time, to ensure predictable performance. My experience developing Stella shows that by carefully selecting language features, high run-time performance can be achieved in a high-level language that has in practice very few restrictions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Computer Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Computer Science

Year

2015

Author dc:creator

• Mohr, David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stefanovic, Darko
• Hermenegildo, Manuel
• Tapia, Lydia
• Lakin, Matthew

• python
• domain specific language
• simulation
• compiler

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cs_etds/12

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalrepository.unm.edu:cs_etds-1011