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This conference talk presents an algebraic stepper for OCaml that supports simple modules with hierarchical variable references. Discover how researchers Kenichi Asai and Hinano Akiyama from Ochanomizu University developed a pedagogical tool that shows intermediate steps of program execution, particularly focusing on OCaml's module system. Learn about their approach to handling variables across module hierarchies by attaching levels to variables and maintaining correct references regardless of usage location. The presentation explains the formalization of their stepper that implements delayed substitution of variables and discusses the relationship between stepper semantics and level maintenance. See how they proved consistency between their stepper semantics and standard small-step semantics. The implemented stepper supports most basic OCaml constructs and is actively used in introductory OCaml courses at the authors' institution. This 29-minute video was presented at the PEPM 2025 conference on January 21, 2025, sponsored by ACM SIGPLAN, SIGACT, and SIGLOG.
