Apparatus and methods for developing parallel networks. Parallel network design may comprise a general purpose language (GPC) code portion and a network description (ND) portion. GPL tools may be utilized in designing the network. The GPL tools may be configured to produce network specification language (NSL) engine adapted to generate hardware optimized machine executable code corresponding to the network description. The developer may be enabled to describe a parameter of the network. The GPC portion may be automatically updated consistent with the network parameter value. The GPC byte code may be introspected by the NSL engine to provide the underlying source code that may be automatically reinterpreted to produce the hardware optimized machine code. The optimized machine code may be executed in parallel.