Re: [Haskell-cafe] What *is* a DSL?

Hi Don,

I've informally argued that a true DSL -- separate from a good API -- should have semantic characteristics of a language: binding forms, control structures, abstraction, composition. Some have type systems.

That is one requirement that confuses me, abstraction. I thought of DSLs as "special purpose" languages, ie. you give your DSL everything it needs for that purpose. Why would it also need the ability to express even further abstractions, it is supposed to *be* the abstraction. Günther