Parser Combinators for Program Transformation

Explore a 41-minute conference talk from Strange Loop that delves into Parser Parser Combinators (PPCs) for multi-language program transformation. Learn how PPCs overcome the limitations of regex-based search-and-replace techniques by implementing a common grammar for shared context-free language properties and customizable syntax handling. Discover the speaker's approach to enabling lightweight program transformation across various programming languages. Examine large-scale results from rewriting code in 12 languages, including Go, Rust, Scala, and Elm, across popular GitHub repositories. Gain insights into the successful implementation of over 50 syntactic changes merged into more than 40 projects using this innovative tool. The talk is presented by Rijnard van Tonder, a PhD candidate at Carnegie Mellon University and part-time software engineer at Sourcegraph, whose research focuses on Automated Program Repair, Program Transformation, and Program Analysis.