Unraveling Recursion: Compiling an IR with Recursion to System F

摘要

Lambda calculi are often used as intermediate representations for compilers. However, they require extensions to handle higher-level features of programming languages. In this paper we show how to construct an IR based on System F_μ~w which supports recursive functions and datatypes, and describe how to compile it to System F_μ~w. Our IR was developed for commercial use at the IOHK company, where it is used as part of a compilation pipeline for smart contracts running on a blockchain.