Fifty years of Hoare's Logic

We present a history of Hoare's logic.Comment: 79 pages. To appear in Formal Aspects of Computin

An observationally complete program logic for imperative higher-order functions

We establish a strong completeness property called observational completeness of the program logic for imperative, higher-order functions introduced in [1]. Observational completeness states that valid assertions characterise program behaviour up to observational congruence, giving a precise correspondence between operational and axiomatic semantics. The proof layout for the observational completeness which uses a restricted syntactic structure called finite canonical forms originally introduced in game-based semantics, and characteristic formulae originally introduced in the process calculi, is generally applicable for a precise axiomatic characterisation of more complex program behaviour, such as aliasing and local state

Relational Parametricity and Separation Logic

Separation logic is a recent extension of Hoare logic for reasoning about programs with references to shared mutable data structures. In this paper, we provide a new interpretation of the logic for a programming language with higher types. Our interpretation is based on Reynolds's relational parametricity, and it provides a formal connection between separation logic and data abstraction

Syntactic Control of Interference Revisited

In Syntactic Control of Interference (POPL, 1978), J. C. Reynolds proposes three design principles intended to constrain the scope of imperative state effects in Algol-like languages. The resulting linguistic framework seems to be a very satisfactory way of combining functional and imperative concepts, having the desirable attributes of both purely functional languages (such as pcf) and simple imperative languages (such as the language of while programs). However, Reynolds points out that the obvious syntax for interference control has the unfortunate property that fi-reductions do not always preserve typings. Reynolds has subsequently presented a solution to this problem (ICALP, 1989), but it is fairly complicated and requires intersection types in the type system. Here, we present a much simpler solution which does not require intersection types. We first describe a new type system inspired in part by linear logic and verify that reductions preserve typings. We then define a class of bireflective models, which provide a categorical analysis of structure underlying the new typing rules; a companion paper Bireflectivity, in this volume, exposes wider ramifications of this structure. Finally, we describe a concrete model for an illustrative programming language based on the new type system; this improves on earlier such efforts in that states are not assumed to be structured using locations

A Historical Perspective on Runtime Assertion Checking in Software Development

This report presents initial results in the area of software testing and analysis produced as part of the Software Engineering Impact Project. The report describes the historical development of runtime assertion checking, including a description of the origins of and significant features associated with assertion checking mechanisms, and initial findings about current industrial use. A future report will provide a more comprehensive assessment of development practice, for which we invite readers of this report to contribute information

Programmiersprachen und Rechenkonzepte

Seit 1984 veranstaltet die GI--Fachgruppe 2.1.4 "Programmiersprachen und Rechenkonzepte", die aus den ehemaligen Fachgruppen 2.1.3 "Implementierung von Programmiersprachen" und 2.1.4 "Alternative Konzepte für Sprachen und Rechner" hervorgegangen ist, regelmäßi g im Frühjahr einen Workshop im Physikzentrum Bad Honnef. Das Treffen dient in erster Linie dem gegenseitigen Kennenlernen, dem Erfahrungsaustausch, der Diskussion und der Vertiefung gegenseitiger Kontakte