Type inclusion constraints and type inference
Alex Aiken, Edward L. Wimmers · 1993
We present a general algorithm for solving systems of inclusion constraints over type expressions. The constraint language includes function types, constructor types, and liberal intersection and union types. We illustrate the application of our constraint solving algorithm with a type inference system for the lambda calculus with constants. In this system, every pure lambda term has a (computable) type and every term typable in the Hindley/Milner system has all of its Hindley/Milner types. Thus, the inference system is an extension of the Hindley/Milner system that can type a very large set of lambda terms. 1 Introduction Type inference systems for functional languages are based on solving systems of type constraints. The best known and most widely used type inference algorithm was first discovered by Hindley and later independently by Milner [Hin69, Mil78]. In its simplest form, the algorithm generates type equations from the program text and then solves the equations. If the equati...