continuation passing style

<programming>

(CPS) A style of programming in which every user function f takes an extra argument c known as a "continuation". Whenever f would normally return a result r to its caller, it instead returns the result of applying the continuation to r. The continuation thus represents the whole of the rest of the computation. Some examples: 

 normal (direct style)	 continuation passing style

 square x = x * x	 	square x k = k (x * x)

 g (square 23)	 	 square 23 g

 (square 3) + 1	 	 square 3 ( \ s . s + 1 )

Last updated: 1995-04-04

Nearby terms:

Continuation Passing Style ♦ continuation passing style ♦ continuations

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