Code as Data

Kind: principle

Layer: Declarative Core

Record: architecture:code-as-data

Severity: contextual

Scope: language, compiler, runtime

Canonical: Ontology

A design rule that logic to be generated or transformed is held as a typed data structure, such as a syntax tree, that tools can inspect and rewrite.

Listed in Architecture principles, after Homoiconicity and before Metaprogramming.

Requires

• AST or Data Representation

Reinforces

• Homoiconicity
• Code Generation

Enables

• Program Transformation

Conflicts with

• String-Based Code Generation

In tension with

• Safety/Debuggability

Tensions

• Code as Data / Safety/Debuggability

Violated by

• Unchecked Dynamic Code

Refactored by

• Syntax Tree Generation
• Domain-Specific Language (DSL)

Severity

• contextual

Category

• Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture

Linked from

• Definitions own what, code owns how
• The structural domain
• Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture
• Core Vocabulary
• Correctness / Determinism / Verification
• Metaprogramming / Language-Oriented Architecture
• Severity levels
• The resolutions