Extensible compiler utilizing a plurality of question handlers

At least one computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform functions to transform a program into an intermediary language, the functions including:

• receiving questions from a plurality of question handlers corresponding to nodes of a graph representing the program, wherein the questions comprise requests for intermediary language corresponding to the nodes;
• dispatching the questions to selected ones of the plurality of question handlers;
• receiving responses to the questions from the selected ones of the plurality of question handlers;
• and
• providing the responses to the question handlers from which the questions were received.

A method comprising:

• associating one or more question handlers with each of a plurality of nodes of a graph representing a program, the plurality of nodes being interconnected via a plurality of links;
• altering the graph by a question handler corresponding to one of the plurality of nodes adding one or more new nodes to the plurality of nodes;
• and
• disallowing any question handler corresponding to one of the plurality of nodes from deleting any of the plurality of nodes.

A method for transforming a program represented as a graph into a desired output, the method comprising:

• receiving a first plurality of questions from a plurality of question handlers corresponding to a plurality of nodes of the graph;
• dispatching a second plurality of questions to the plurality of question handlers;
• receiving responses to the second plurality of questions from the plurality of question handlers;
• providing responses to the first plurality of questions to the plurality of question handlers;
• detecting when a response provided to a question handler of the first plurality of question handlers included incorrect information;
• and
• re-dispatching at least a subset of the second plurality of questions in response to detecting the response that included incorrect information.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of question handlers, wherein individual question handlers of the plurality of question handlers are associated with nodes of a graph representing a program;
• and
• a reduction engine to transform the program into a desired output by,
• receiving questions from the individual question handlers,
• dispatching questions to the individual question handlers, and
• providing responses to the individual question handlers.

A system comprising:

• an initialization program to associate one or more question handlers with each of a plurality of graph nodes representing a program;
• and
• a reduction engine to transform the program into a desired output by,
• dispatching questions to the plurality of question handlers,
• receiving responses from the plurality of question handlers, and
• providing the received responses to the appropriate ones of the plurality of question handlers.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that implement interface methods, the interface methods performing respective functions comprising:

• dispatching a question to a question handier corresponding to a node of a graph representing a program;
• dispatching a question to a question handler corresponding to a node coupled to a specified link;
• and
• noting that further instructions cannot be executed by a question handler until an answer to a specified question is received by the question handler.

A method, implemented in a reduction engine communicating with a plurality of question handlers, of transforming a program into a desired output, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the reduction engine, questions from individual question handlers of the plurality of question handlers, wherein the individual question handlers are associated with nodes of a graph representing the program;
• dispatching, from the reduction engine, questions to the individual question handlers;
• and
• providing, by the reduction engine, responses to the individual question handlers.

One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• associate one or more question handlers with each of a plurality of graph nodes representing a program;
• and
• implement a reduction engine to transform the program into a desired output by,
• dispatching questions to the plurality of question handlers,
• receiving responses from the plurality of question handlers, and
• returning the received responses to the appropriate ones of the plurality of question handlers.