from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
SDL
Specification and Design Language.
Defined by the {ITU-T} (recommendation Z100) to provide a tool
for unambiguous specification and description of the behaviour
of telecommunications systems. The area of application also
includes process control and real-time applications. SDL
provides a Graphic Representation (SDL/GR) and a textual
Phrase Representation (SDL/PR), which are equivalent
representations of the same semantics. A system is specified
as a set of interconnected {abstract machines} which are
extensions of the {Finite State Machine} (FSM).
1. System Software Development Language. System software for
the B1700. "System Software Development Language Reference
Manual", 1081346, Burroughs Corp (Dec 1974).
2. Specification and Description Language. {ITU-T}.
Specification language with both graphical and character-based
syntaxes for defining interacting extended finite state
machines. Used to specify discrete interactive systems such
as industrial process control, traffic control, and
telecommunication systems. Proc Plenary Assembly, Melbourne
14-1988-11-25, Fasc X.1, CCITT. "Telecommunications Systems
Engineering Using SDL", R. Saracco et al, N-H 1989. Available
from Verilog, MD. (See XDL).
3. Shared Dataspace Language. "A Shared Dataspace Language
Supporting Large-Scale Concurrency", G. Roman et al, Proc 8th
Intl Conf Distrib Comp Sys, IEEE 1988, pp.265-272.
4. Structure Definition Language. Used internally by DEC to
define and generate the symbols used for VAX/VMS internal data
structures in various languages.
5. System Description Language. language used by the Eiffel/S
implementation of Eiffel to assemble clusters into a system.
(see Lace).