Bergen Language Design Laboratory 15th Anniversary (BLDL-15)

Bergen Language Design Laboratory (BLDL) is dedicated to experimenting with software concepts and providing these as tool-supported language constructs. Such experiments require both language tools and a formal basis for the constructs, with the latter significantly simplifying the former. Language experimentation is crucial for refining ideas for software concepts, and it also provides the means for gaining practical experience with these ideas. New ideas in this direction are needed to address current challenges, such as integrity issues for internet applications, clarity of business logic embedded in code, efficiency for high-performance applications, portability of software across multi-core, GPU, and other architectures, and energy consumption of software.

The laboratory fosters an interaction between software development activities and language experimentation to receive feedback on the suitability and use of language constructs and to gain inspiration for new ideas. BLDL’s purpose is to conduct basic research and train researchers in the design, implementation, and validation of programming languages. Research areas include parsing, analysis, transformation, optimization, and the design of novel language features. To achieve these goals, BLDL educates students in language engineering and the use of modern language implementation and transformation technology, cooperates with industry in solving engineering problems through language technology and domain-specific languages, and coordinates closely with international research partners through projects and the exchange of staff and students.

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, BLDL is hosting a workshop to bring together researchers, industry experts, and students to discuss advancements in language design and implementation. This event will highlight the laboratory’s contributions to the evolution of major programming languages such as C++, Fortran, and JavaScript. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the latest research findings, share insights, and explore future directions in the field. This milestone workshop underscores BLDL’s ongoing commitment to advancing the frontiers of programming language research and fostering collaboration within the global software development community.