Structured data represented in Ruby syntax
Kazuaki Mæda · 2008
This paper describes Ribbon, which is a new representation written in a text-based data format using Ruby syntax. The design principle of Ribbon is good readability and simplicity to represent structured data. An important feature of Ribbon is that the representation is executable. Once Ribbon related definitions are loaded into a Ruby interpreter, the representation can be executed corresponding to the definitions. It is useful for Java programs to read/write Java objects on persistent storage, or to walk through the structured data. A program generator was developed to create Ruby and Java programs from the Ribbon definitions. In the author's experience, the productivity was improved to design and implement programs which manipulate structured data.