A Dual View on Syntax

Interaction nets are closely related to optimal reduction, and thus are a candidate for the basis of an interesting functional programming language compiler/runtime, like HVM.

Even if you don't define your language semantics with optimal reduction, using flat, relational data instead of recursive data for your internal representation is a great fit for query-based architecture (which is just logic/database programming) and can simplify a lot of dynamic programming problems that come up in language implementation. - initial-algebra