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Inductive assertions and operational semantics

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Abstract

This paper shows how classic inductive assertions can be used in conjunction with a formal operational semantics to prove partial correctness properties of programs. The method imposes only the proof obligations that would be produced by a verification condition generator – but does not require the definition of a verification condition generator. All that is required is a theorem prover, a formal operational semantics, and the object program with appropriate assertions at user-selected cut points. The verification conditions are generated in the course of the theorem-proving process by straightforward symbolic evaluation of the formal operational semantics. The technique is demonstrated by proving the partial correctness of simple bytecode programs with respect to a preexisting operational model of the Java Virtual Machine.

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  1. Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Taylor Hall 2.124 #C0500, 1 University Station, Austin, TX, 78712-0233, USA

    J. Strother Moore

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  1. J. Strother Moore
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Moore, J.S. Inductive assertions and operational semantics. Int J Softw Tools Technol Transfer 8, 359–371 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10009-005-0180-2

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