IDL (Interface Description Language). Background and Status.
Donald L. Stone, John R. Nestor · 1987
Abstract : The Interface Description Language (IDL) provides a mechanism by which the abstract properties of complex structured data may be specified precisely. Abstract specifications can be mapped to multiple target languages running on many kinds of computer systems. This mechanism permits data to be communicated between programs, or parts of a single program, safely and efficiently. This paper presents an overview of the Interface Description Language (IDL). We describe the language and its history. We also discuss the status of the IDL community.