Babel Middleware
Encyclopedia
Babel is an open source middleware system
serving the scientific computing community.
As language interoperability tool, Babel enables arbitrary mixing of software
libraries written in C
/C++
,
Fortran
, Python
, and Java
As distributed computing
platform, Babel provides a language-neutral
Remote Method Invocation (RMI) scheme similar to Java RMI
that allows third-party plug-ins to specify custom data encodings and
network protocols.
to specify the platform and language neutral interface to code.
Babel uses a custom dialect called SIDL (Scientific Interface Definition Language),
which has adaptations specific to computational science and engineering applications.
The Babel tool parses the SIDL specification to generate source code
which provides the glue between programming languages.
Babel works on all known POSIX
and Unix variants
, including Linux
, Mac OS X
,
AIX, IRIX
, Solaris, Tru64, Cray's XT4, IBM's Blue Gene
,
and many commodity clusters. Babel does not require special compiler or linker
technology and works with GNU
, Intel, IBM
, PathScale, PGI, and many other compilers.
Babel is distributed under an LGPL license.
It has been used in diverse computational applications such as accelerator beam dynamics,
cell biology, chemistry, climate, electron effects, fusion, geomagnetics, materials,
nuclear power plants, radio astronomy, and subsurface transport as well as
infrastructure such as frameworks, meshing, solvers, sparse linear algebra, and sourcecode
refactoring.
Babel is also redistributed with some customer applications, the CCA framework, and Debian Linux.
in 1999.
The first public (alpha) release of Babel was in 2001.
Also in 2001 it secured funding from SciDAC (Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing)
along with its collaborators in the CCA Forum (Common Component Architecture Forum).
,
but relies heavily on an open source community. Contributors hail from Sandia National Laboratories
,
Argonne National Laboratory
, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
, Tech-X Corp,
MIT, University of Utah
, and more. The Babel development team maintain open software repositories,
mailing lists, and issue trackers.
serving the scientific computing community.
As language interoperability tool, Babel enables arbitrary mixing of software
libraries written in C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
/C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
,
Fortran
Fortran
Fortran is a general-purpose, procedural, imperative programming language that is especially suited to numeric computation and scientific computing...
, Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
, and Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
As distributed computing
Distributed computing
Distributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems. A distributed system consists of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a computer network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal...
platform, Babel provides a language-neutral
Remote Method Invocation (RMI) scheme similar to Java RMI
that allows third-party plug-ins to specify custom data encodings and
network protocols.
How it works
Babel requires developers to use an interface description languageInterface description language
An interface description language , or IDL for short, is a specification language used to describe a software component's interface...
to specify the platform and language neutral interface to code.
Babel uses a custom dialect called SIDL (Scientific Interface Definition Language),
which has adaptations specific to computational science and engineering applications.
The Babel tool parses the SIDL specification to generate source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
which provides the glue between programming languages.
Babel works on all known POSIX
POSIX
POSIX , an acronym for "Portable Operating System Interface", is a family of standards specified by the IEEE for maintaining compatibility between operating systems...
and Unix variants
Unix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
, including Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
,
AIX, IRIX
IRIX
IRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers. It was based on UNIX System V with BSD extensions. IRIX was the first operating system to include the XFS file system.The last major version...
, Solaris, Tru64, Cray's XT4, IBM's Blue Gene
Blue Gene
Blue Gene is a computer architecture project to produce several supercomputers, designed to reach operating speeds in the PFLOPS range, and currently reaching sustained speeds of nearly 500 TFLOPS . It is a cooperative project among IBM Blue Gene is a computer architecture project to produce...
,
and many commodity clusters. Babel does not require special compiler or linker
technology and works with GNU
GNU
GNU is a Unix-like computer operating system developed by the GNU project, ultimately aiming to be a "complete Unix-compatible software system"...
, Intel, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, PathScale, PGI, and many other compilers.
Babel is distributed under an LGPL license.
Impact
Babel won an R&D 100 Award in 2006.It has been used in diverse computational applications such as accelerator beam dynamics,
cell biology, chemistry, climate, electron effects, fusion, geomagnetics, materials,
nuclear power plants, radio astronomy, and subsurface transport as well as
infrastructure such as frameworks, meshing, solvers, sparse linear algebra, and sourcecode
refactoring.
Babel is also redistributed with some customer applications, the CCA framework, and Debian Linux.
History
Babel was started as an internal research project on software components at Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
in 1999.
The first public (alpha) release of Babel was in 2001.
Also in 2001 it secured funding from SciDAC (Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing)
along with its collaborators in the CCA Forum (Common Component Architecture Forum).
Community
Babel development and maintenance is currently funded by United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
,
but relies heavily on an open source community. Contributors hail from Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
,
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
, Tech-X Corp,
MIT, University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, and more. The Babel development team maintain open software repositories,
mailing lists, and issue trackers.