Approaching Distributed Database Implementations Through Functional Programming Concepts
Robert Keller, Gary Lindstrom · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) · 1985
Abstract: The application of functional programming concepts to the data representation and query!ng aspects of databases has been discussed by Shipman and Buneman, et al. respectively. We argue the suitability of a function-based approach to additional aspects of database systems, including updating, transaction serialization, and physical distribution and communication. It is shown how the NmergeH extension of a purely functional model permits seriallzable concurrent "primary site " distribution control. We also present preliminary experimental results which indicate that a reasonable degree of concurrency is attainable from the functional approach. Key phrases: appl icative programming, functional programming, lenient data constructors, distributed databases, primary site model, concurrency, distributed