English

Canonical bidirectional typechecking

Programming Languages 2025-12-09 v1 Logic in Computer Science

Abstract

We demonstrate that the checkable/synthesisable split in bidirectional typechecking coincides with existing dualities in polarised System L, also known as polarised μμ~\mu\tilde{\mu}-calculus. Specifically, positive terms and negative coterms are checkable, and negative terms and positive coterms are synthesisable. This combines a standard formulation of bidirectional typechecking with Zeilberger's `cocontextual' variant. We extend this to ordinary `cartesian' System L using Mc Bride's co-de Bruijn formulation of scopes, and show that both can be combined in a linear-nonlinear style, where linear types are positive and cartesian types are negative. This yields a remarkable 3-way coincidence between the shifts of polarised System L, LNL calculi, and bidirectional calculi.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2512.07511,
  title  = {Canonical bidirectional typechecking},
  author = {Zanzi Mihejevs and Jules Hedges},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.07511},
  year   = {2025}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-01T08:14:47.800Z