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The algebraic specification of abstract data types

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Summary

There have been many recent proposals for embedding abstract data types in programming languages. In order to reason about programs using abstract data types, it is desirable to specify their properties at an abstract level, independent of any particular implementation. This paper presents an algebraic technique for such specifications, develops some of the formal properties of the technique, and shows that these provide useful guidelines for the construction of adequate specifications.

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Author notes

  1. J. J. Horning

    Present address: Xerox Research Center, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, 94304, Palo Alto, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Science Department, University of Southern California, 90007, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    J. V. Guttag

  2. Computer Systems Research Group, University of Toronto, M5S 1A4, Toronto, Canada

    J. J. Horning

Authors
  1. J. V. Guttag
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  2. J. J. Horning
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Additional information

Supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant MCS-76-06089 and the Joint Services Electronics Program monitored by the Air Force Office of the Scientific Research under contract F44620-72C-0061

Supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada.

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Guttag, J.V., Horning, J.J. The algebraic specification of abstract data types. Acta Informatica 10, 27–52 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260922

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00260922

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