Interface Definition Language

Interface Definition Language or IDL is a formal way of defining the interface of a software object in an object-oriented system or language. On this wiki most of the references will be to the SOM Interface Definition Language

Used in the OS/2, UNIX and Microsoft Windows worlds, but with some variations.

Publications

• Yuri Prokushev: The SOM Interface Definition Language - Description of the IBM SOM IDL.

IDL as a file format

Plain text file formatted much like C, however the is no firm syntax standard so they can vary from system to system although most have some relation to the OMG IDL defintion. It is meant to give the objects a degree of language independence.

Text editors with IDL file support

• FTE - Has support for syntax highlighting, code folding and syntax-aware autoindent. - Open source - Current.

Links

• IDL at the Object Management Group