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What does "Local Types" mean?

Table of Contents

Local types are a way to describe how parts of a program can communicate with each other. They help ensure that messages sent between different sections of a program match what each part expects. This is important for maintaining smooth and correct interactions in complex systems.

Purpose of Local Types

The main goal of local types is to verify that the rules of communication are followed throughout a program. By defining these rules, developers can check if a specific part of a program can safely replace another part without causing issues.

Key Features

Local types focus on two main aspects:

  1. Subprotocol Fidelity: This ensures that a local part of the program sticks to the rules set by the main communication structure.
  2. Deadlock Freedom: This means that the program will not get stuck waiting for a message that it won't receive.

Importance

Using local types helps create reliable software by preventing miscommunication between different parts of a program. This leads to better performance and fewer errors.

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