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The small-step operational semantics of Dart Kernel is given by an abstract machine in the style of the CEK machine. The machine is defined by a single step transition function where each step of the machine starts in a configuration and deterministically gives a next configuration. There are several different configurations defined below.
_x_ ranges over variables, ρ ranges over environments, _K_ ranges over expression continuations, _A_ ranges over application continuations, _E_ ranges over expressions, _S_ ranges over statements, _V_ ranges over values.
Environments are finite functions from variables to values. _ρ_[_x_ → _V_] denotes the environment that maps _x_ to _V_ and _y_ to _ρ_(_y_) for all _y_ ≠ _x_.
#### Expression configuration
An expression configuration indicates the evaluation of an expression with respect to an environment and an expression continuation.
Expression configuration | Next configuration
-- | --
<_x_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_K_, _ρ_(_x_), _ρ_>_cont_
<_x = E_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E_, _ρ_, **VarSetK**(_x_, _K_)>_expr_
<_!E_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E_, _ρ_, **NotK**(_K_)>_expr_
<_E1 **and** E2_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E1_, _ρ_, **AndK**(_E2_, _K_)>_expr_
<_E1 **or** E2_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E1_, _ρ_, **OrK**(_E2_, _K_)>_expr_
<_E1? E2 : E3_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E1_, _ρ_, **ConditionalK**(_E2_, _E3_, _K_)>_expr_
<_StringConcat(exprList)_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_exprList_, _ρ_, **StringConcatenationA**(_K_)>_exprList_
<_print(E)_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E_, _ρ_, **PrintK**(_K_)>_expr_
<_f(exprList)_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_exprList_, _ρ_, **StaticInvocationA**(_S : f.body_, _K_)>_exprList_
<_BasicLiteral_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_K_, _BasicLiteral_, _ρ_>_cont_
<_**Let** x = E1 **in** E2_, _ρ_, _K_>_expr_ | <_E1_, _ρ_, **LetK**(_x_, E2, _ρ_, _K_)>_expr_
#### Expression continuation configuration
An expression continuation configuration indicates the application of an expression continuation __K__ to a value and an environment. The environment is threaded to the continuation because expressions can mutate the environment.
Expression continuation configuration | Next configuration
-- | --
<**VarSetK**(_x_, _K_), _V_, _ρ_>_cont_ | <_K_, _V_, _ρ_[_x_ → _V_]>cont
<**PrintK**(_K_), _V_, _ρ_>_cont_ | <_K_, _∅_, _ρ_>cont
<**ExpressionListK**(_exprList_, _A_), _V_, _ρ_>_cont_ | <_exprList_, _ρ_, **ValueApplicationA**(_V_, _A_)>_exprList_
<**ExpressionK**(_C_), _V_, _ρ_ >_cont_ | _C_
#### Expression list configuration
An expression list configuration indicates the evaluation of a list of expressions with respect to an environment and an application continuation.
Expression list configuration | Next configuration
--|--
<_∅_, _ρ_, _A_>_exprList_ | <_A_, _∅_>_acont_
<_E :: tail_, _ρ_, _A_>_exprList_ | <_E_, _ρ_, **ExpressionListK**(_tail_, _A_)>_expr_
#### Application continuation configuration
An application continuation configuration indicates the application of __A__ to a list of values.
Application continuation configuration | Next configuration
--|--
<**StaticInvocationA**(_S_, _K_), _valList_>_acont_ | <_S_, _ρ_[_formalList_ → _valList_], _∅_, **ExitC**(_K_), _K_>_exec_
<**ValueApplicationA**(V, _A_), _valList_>_acont_ | <_A_, _V :: valList_>_acont_
#### Statement configuration
A statement configuration indicates the execution of a statement with respect to an environment.
_S_ ranges over statements, _L_ ranges over labels, _C_ ranges over statement configurations.
Statement configuration | Next configuration
--|--
<**Expression**(_E_), _ρ_, _L_, _C_, _K_>_exec_ | <_E_, _ρ_, **ExpressionK**(_C_)>_expr_