Towards a Unified Theory of Operational and Axiomatic Semantics

Rosu, Grigore

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/29946 Copy

Description

Title

Towards a Unified Theory of Operational and Axiomatic Semantics

Author(s)

Rosu, Grigore

Contributor(s)

Stefanescu, Andrei

Issue Date

2012-02-24

Keyword(s)

• Operational semantics
• Hoare logic
• Partial correctness
• Rewriting

Abstract

This paper presents a nine-rule *language-independent* proof system that takes an operational semantics as axioms and derives program properties, including ones corresponding to Hoare triples. This eliminates the need for language-specific Hoare-style proof rules in order to verify programs, and, implicitly, the tedious step of proving such proof rules sound for each language separately. The key proof rule is *Circularity*, which is coinductive in nature and allows for reasoning about constructs with repetitive behaviors (e.g., loops). The generic proof system is shown sound and has been implemented in the MatchC program verifier.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/29946

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