+ Modeling and Programming Time-Sensitive Systems Using Lingua Franca + Coordination Language +
++ Hands-on tutorial (2:00 β 4:00 PM CEST, 2 hours) +
++ Start here to set up your environment and get the hands-on lab + materials. +
++ Set up the Lingua Franca toolchain, VS Code extension, + and CLI (this tutorial uses LF v0.13.0). +
+ + Installation Instructions + ++ Create your own copy of the tutorial template repository + with eight short labs in C and Python. +
+ + Open GitHub Labs + ++ This hands-on, interactive tutorial introduces{" "} + Lingua Franca (LF), a polyglot + coordination language for building deterministic, time-sensitive + systems. You write ordinary C or Python code inside{" "} + reactors, and LF coordinates when that code runs, + locally or across multiple processes, with a well-defined model + of time. It is held during the{" "} + + FDL 2026 Summer School + {" "} + in Rome, Italy, part of the Forum on Specification & Design + Languages (FDL) 2026. +
++ The tutorial is built around eight short labs, each centered on + a small program that you compile, run, and extend. Every lab + exists in both C and Python, teaching the same LF concepts with + the same exercisesβpick the language you are more comfortable + with and stay on that path. The tutorial is intended for + researchers, engineers, and graduate students with programming + experience interested in the design of time-sensitive systems + with deterministic concurrency. +
+ ++ FDL 2026 Summer School participants including Ph.D. students, + academic researchers, and industry engineers. No prior + experience with LF is requiredβbasic proficiency in C and/or + Python is recommended. +
++ Time-sensitive systems, such as cyber-physical systems and + embedded control software, often involve multiple concurrent + components interacting under real-time constraints. Ensuring + deterministic behavior and coordinated timing across these + components is a notorious challenge with conventional + programming approaches (threads, pub/sub, actor frameworks, + etc.). +
++ Lingua Franca is a polyglot coordination language designed to + address this challenge by offering a framework for building + concurrent, time-sensitive systems that behave deterministically + and predictably. An LF program defines interactions between + reactive components called reactors and emphasizes + deterministic coordination with explicit handling of timing. +
+-
+
- + Deterministic Concurrency: Race-free + execution on multiple cores or devices without special + synchronization code + +
- + Explicit Timing Semantics: Specify and + maintain precise temporal behavior without ad-hoc timing + code + +
- + Polyglot Support: Reactor logic can be + written in C, Python, C++, Rust, or TypeScript + +
- + Distributed Execution: Built-in support + for federated execution across networked devices + +
+ Schedule: September 8, 2026, 2:00 PM β 4:00 PM (2 hours) +
+ + {scheduleItems.map((item, idx) => ( ++ {item.description} +
+ )} + {item.leads && ( ++ Led by: {item.leads} +
+ )} ++ Each lab is built around a small program you compile, run, and + extend. The links in the{" "} + + tutorial repository + {" "} + point at both the C and Python versions of every lab. Total + guided time is about 80-100 minutes, leaving room in a two-hour + session for setup and questions. +
+| Lab | +Theme | +Main concepts | +
|---|---|---|
| {lab.number} | +{lab.theme} | +{lab.concepts} | +
-
+
- Reactor-oriented programming model +
- Reactors, ports, connections, and state +
- Tags, logical time, and physical time +
- Deterministic reaction ordering and causality +
- Modal reactors, deadlines, and federations +
-
+
- Writing, compiling, and running LF programs with C or Python +
- Bringing external events into a program with physical actions +
- Enforcing timing requirements with deadlines +
- Turning a multi-reactor program into a federation +
- Using VS Code with the LF extension and diagrams +
+ Participants should bring a laptop for the hands-on + sessions. Lingua Franca's toolchain supports{" "} + Linux, macOS, and{" "} + Windows (via WSL). This tutorial uses{" "} + Lingua Franca v0.13.0. +
+ ++ Step-by-step setup for the toolchain, VS Code extension, + and CLI is in the{" "} + + Lingua Franca installation documentation + {" "} + and in the{" "} + + tutorial repository's setup section + + . +
++ Highlights: +
+-
+
- + Java 17 or higher is required for the + compiler and tooling. + +
- + Windows: use WSL with + Ubuntu and install all LF components inside Linux (not + MSYS/Git Bash). + +
-
+ VS Code: install the Lingua Franca
+ extension from the Marketplace (
+
lf-lang.vscode-lingua-franca). +
+ -
+ CLI: one-line install with{" "}
+
+ curl -Ls https://install.lf-lang.org | bash -s cli ++ . +
+
-
+
- + Native Installation (recommended):{" "} + One-line install script or VS Code extension installation, + following the installation guide above. + +
- + Instructor-provided VM: An Ubuntu VM + image with LF v0.13.0, VS Code, the LF extension, and both + target toolchains preinstalled (ask the instructor for the + download link). Open it with UTM on macOS or VirtualBox on + Windows. + +
-
+
- Java 17+ JDK +
-
+ C path: a C compiler (
clangor{" "} +gcc) and CMake +
+ - + Python path: Python 3.10 or newer, plus a C compiler and + CMake + +
- VS Code with the Lingua Franca extension +
+ The hands-on session follows the eight labs in the{" "} + + lf-tutorial-fdl26 + {" "} + template repository on GitHub. Before the tutorial, create + your own private copy from the template ( + Use this template >{" "} + Create a new repository), clone it, and + open the folder in VS Code. The same labs exist in both C + and Python. +
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++ This webpage serves as the central hub for all tutorial + materials. Participants can expect to find: +
+-
+
- Setup instructions and prerequisites +
- + + Hands-on lab instructions and starter code + + +
- Links to the LF documentation and example projects +
+ Materials will be updated as we approach the tutorial date. + Check back regularly for the latest resources. +
+ ++ Join the Lingua Franca{" "} + + Zulip community + {" "} + for Q&A before and after the tutorial. This connects you + with an active open-source community spanning multiple + institutions for continued learning and support. +
++ Get started with Lingua Franca and learn more about the summer + school. +
+