ITEC 120 2008spring ibarland, jdymacek

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syntax-week1
Java Syntax
week 1

Our Mantras

• To call a function: object-dot-functionName-openParen-arguments.
• A function's signature: returnType-functionName-openParen-parameterTypeAndNames

Java Syntax

Week 1's syntax includes function-definition, signature, and class-definition.

Major definitions

• class-declaration ::=
  class name_Class {
     function-definition…
  }
• function-definition ::=
  signature {
    return expression;
  }
signature ::= type_return name ( parameter-declaration )
• parameter-declaration ::= type name_param

Expressions

• expression ::=
  literal-value | name_param | function-call | ( expression ) |
  expression+expression | expression-expression | expression*expression | expression/expression
  
• function-call ::= expression_object .name_function( argument-list )

Miscellania

• type ::= int | double

How to read Backus-Naur Form (BNF):

• colored text is replaced with a particular instance of that type. (Subscripts are informative only, and don't technically mean anything.)
• uncolored text is typed in literally (not replaced with something else).
• “::=” means “consists of”.
• “|” means “or”
• “[bracket-optional-part]” can be included, or be omitted.
• “...” means zero or more repetitions of the preceding item.

Note that this is the syntax for Java in this class so far. See also Lies, for some of the ways we are lying about Java's exact syntax.

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©2008, Ian Barland, Radford University Last modified 2008.Jan.24 (Thu)

Please mail any suggestions (incl. typos, broken links) to iba�rlandrad�ford.edu