continuations

1 definition found

continuations - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  continuation passing style
  continuation
  continuations
  
     <programming> (CPS) A style of programming in which every user
     function f takes an extra argument c known as a continuation.
     Whenever f would normally return a result r to its caller, it
     instead returns the result of applying the continuation to r.
     The continuation thus represents the whole of the rest of the
     computation.  Some examples:
  
      normal (direct style)    -->	continuation passing
  
      square x = x * x		square x k = k (x*x)
  
      g (square 23)			square 23 g
  
      (square 3) + 1			square 3 ( \ s . s+1 )
  
     (1995-04-04)