Standard ML is a general-purpose programming language designed for large projects. This book provides a formal definition of Standard ML for the benefit of all concerned with the language, including users and implementers.

Part 1 Syntax of the core: reserved words; special constants; comments; identifiers; lexical analysis; infixed operators; derived forms; grammar; syntactic restrictions. Part 2 Syntax of modules: reserved words; identifiers; infixed operators; grammar for modules; syntactic restrictions. Part 3 Static semantics for the core: simple objects; compound objects; projection, injection and modification; types and type functions; type schemes; scope of explicit type variables; non-expansive expressions; closure; type structures and type environments; inference rules; further restrictions. Part 4 Static semantics for modules: semantic objects; type realization; signature instantiation; functor signature instantiation; enrichment; signature matching; inference rules. Part 5 Dynamic semantics for the core: reduced syntax; simple objects; compound objects; basic values; basic exceptions; function closures; inference rules. Part 6 Dynamic semantics for modules: reduced syntax; compound objects; inference rules. Part 7 Programmes. Part 8 Appendices.