Making Hybrid Languages: A Recipe

Abstract

The dominant programming languages support only linear text to express ideas. Visual languages offer graphical representations for entire programs, when viewed with special tools. Hybrid languages, with support from existing tools, allow developers to express their ideas with a mix of textual and graphical syntax tailored to an application domain. This mix puts both kinds of syntax on equal footing and, importantly, the enriched language does not disrupt a programmer's typical workflow. This paper presents a recipe for equipping existing textual programming languages as well as accompanying IDEs with a mechanism for creating and using graphical interactive syntax. It also presents the first hybrid language and IDE created using the recipe.