thetaclass

Thetaclass is a concept in theoretical computer science and programming language design describing a parametric class of types and values whose behavior is modulated by a parameter named theta. In discussions, thetaclass is used as a generic meta-class that encapsulates a family of related classes, allowing a single definition to produce multiple concrete classes when supplied with different theta values.

Origins and usage: Thetaclass appears mainly in pedagogical contexts and speculative discussions about type systems and meta-programming. It is not a standard feature of mainstream languages and has not achieved wide practical adoption. It serves as a tool for illustrating how parametric polymorphism and reflective programming can be modeled at the level of class definitions.

Structure: A thetaclass typically declares a parameter theta and defines constraints, methods, and fields whose availability or behavior depends on theta. Instantiating thetaclass with a specific theta yields a specialized class, sometimes called an instance or specialization, that inherits from a common interface while reflecting the parameterized behavior. Some formulations separate the meta-level (thetaclass) from the object level (specializations) to emphasize the distinction.

Example: Thetaclass T with parameter theta might generate a class with a method adapt that behaves differently for theta values to optimize performance or access control, e.g., adapt uses different algorithms when theta is small versus large.

See also: parametric polymorphism, meta-class, type-level programming, generic programming.