Rewriting logic semantics (RLS) is a definitional framework in
which a programming language is defined as a rewrite theory: the algebraic
signature defines the program configurations, the equations
define structural identities on configurations, and the rewrite rules
define the irreversible computational steps. RLS language definitions
are efficiently executable using conventional rewrite engines,
yielding interpreters for the defined languages for free.
Matching logic is a program verification logic inspired by RLS.
Matching logic specifications are particular first-order formulae
with constrained algebraic structure, called patterns. Configurations
satisfy patterns iff they match their algebraic structure and satisfy
their constraints. Patterns can naturally specify data separation and
require no special support from the underlying logic.
Using HIMP, a C-like language with dynamic memory allocation/deallocation and pointer arithmetic, this paper shows how one
can derive an executable matching logic verifier from HIMP???s RLS.
It is shown that the derived verifier is sound, that is every verified
formula holds in the original, complementary RLS of HIMP, and
complete, that is every verified formula is provable using HIMP???s
sound matching logic proof system. In passing, this paper also shows
that, for the restriction of HIMP without a heap called IMP for which
one can give a conventional Hoare logic proof system, a restricted
use of the matching logic proof system is equivalent to the Hoare
logic proof system, in that any proof derived using any of the proof
systems can be turned into a proof using the other. The encoding
from Hoare logic into matching logic is generic and should work
for any Hoare logic proof system.
A matching logic verifier, called MatchC, has been built on top
of the Maude rewrite system. A nontrivial MatchC case study is
discussed, namely the verification of the partial correctness of the
Schorr-Waite algorithm (with graphs). The verifier automatically
generated and proved all 227 paths in 16 seconds.unpublishednot peer reviewe
