Foundational nonuniform (co)datatypes for higher-order logic

Nonuniform (or “nested” or “heterogeneous”) datatypes are recursively defined types in which the type arguments vary recursively. They arise in the implementation of finger trees and other efficient functional data structures. We show how to reduce a large class of nonuniform datatypes and codatatypes to uniform types in higher-order logic. We programmed this reduction in the Isabelle/HOL proof assistant, thereby enriching its specification language. Moreover, we derive (co)recusion and (co)induction principles based on a weak variant of parametricity

Foundational, compositional (co)datatypes for higher-order logic: category theory applied to theorem proving

Interactive theorem provers based on higher-order logic (HOL) traditionally follow the definitional approach, reducing high-level specifications to logical primitives. This also applies to the support for datatype definitions. However, the internal datatype construction used in HOL4, HOL Light, and Isabelle/HOL is fundamentally noncompositional, limiting its efficiency and flexibility, and it does not cater for codatatypes. We present a fully modular framework for constructing (co)datatypes in HOL, with support for mixed mutual and nested (co)recursion. Mixed (co)recursion enables type definitions involving both datatypes and codatatypes, such as the type of finitely branching trees of possibly infinite depth. Our framework draws heavily from category theory. The key notion is that of a bounded natural functor—an enriched type constructor satisfying specific properties preserved by interesting categorical operations. Our ideas are implemented as a definitional package in Isabelle, addressing a frequent request from users

Friends with benefits: implementing corecursion in foundational proof assistants

We introduce AmiCo, a tool that extends a proof assistant, Isabelle/HOL, with flexible function definitions well beyond primitive corecursion. All definitions are certified by the assistant’s inference kernel to guard against inconsistencies. A central notion is that of friends: functions that preserve the productivity of their arguments and that are allowed in corecursive call contexts. As new friends are registered, corecursion benefits by becoming more expressive. We describe this process and its implementation, from the user’s specification to the synthesis of a higher-order definition to the registration of a friend. We show some substantial case studies where our approach makes a difference

Friends with benefits: implementing corecursion in foundational proof assistants

We introduce AmiCo, a tool that extends a proof assistant, Isabelle/HOL, with flexible function definitions well beyond primitive corecursion. All definitions are certified by the assistant’s inference kernel to guard against inconsistencies. A central notion is that of friends: functions that preserve the productivity of their arguments and that are allowed in corecursive call contexts. As new friends are registered, corecursion benefits by becoming more expressive. We describe this process and its implementation, from the user’s specification to the synthesis of a higher-order definition to the registration of a friend. We show some substantial case studies where our approach makes a difference

Foundational extensible corecursion: a proof assistant perspective

This paper presents a formalized framework for defining corecursive functions safely in a total setting, based on corecursion up-to and relational parametricity. The end product is a general corecursor that allows corecursive (and even recursive) calls under “friendly” operations, including constructors. Friendly corecursive functions can be registered as such, thereby increasing the corecursor’s expressiveness. The metatheory is formalized in the Isabelle proof assistant and forms the core of a prototype tool. The corecursor is derived from first principles, without requiring new axioms or extensions of the logic