Mechanized Verification of Compiler Backends

Abstract

We describe an approach to mechanically prove the correctness of BURS specifications and show how such a tool can be connected with BURS based back-end generators [9]. The proofs are based on the operational semantics of both source and target system languages specified by means of Abstract State Machines [15]. In [31] we decomposed the correctness condition based on these operational semantics into local correctness conditions for each BURS rule and showed that these local correctness conditions can be proven independently. The specification and verification system PVS is used to mechanicalyy verify BURS-rules based on formal representations of the languages involved. In particular, we have defined PVS proof strategies which enable an automatic verification of the rules. Using PVS, several erroneous rules have been found. Moreover, from failed proof attempts we were able to correct them. 1 Introduction There exist a variety of techniques to construct efficient code produci..