FAD, a Powerful and Simple Database Language

Abstract

FAD is a powerful and simple language designed for a highly parallel database machine. The basic concepts of the language are its data structures (which we call objects) and its programs (defined in terms of operators and predicates). The primary features of the language are (i) the support of complex objects with built-in notion of object identity; (ii) an abstract data type capability; (iii) a persistent object space; and (iv) the efficient support of iteration, conditionals, and set operations. FAD is functional and uses low level operators and operator constructors. This provides for the opportunity of dataflow execution in a parallel architecture. FAD has been successfully implemented in (i) an interpreter working on a main memory database and (ii) integrated in a prototype of a database machine.