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15312 Foundations Of Programming Languages [top] May 2026

This essay outlines the core philosophy and technical pillars of 15-312: Foundations of Programming Languages, a course famously centered on the rigorous study of language design through the lens of type theory and operational semantics.

Key Concepts

1. Syntax and Semantics

Type Safety: The famous slogan "Well-typed programs do not go wrong."

, which involves proving that "well-typed programs do not go wrong" through theorems like Preservation Structural Induction: Most properties in the course are proven using structural induction

Type systems are a critical component of programming languages, ensuring that programs are type-safe and free from type-related errors. In the 15312 course, students learn about the basics of type systems, including:

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