English

Combining predicate transformer semantics for effects: a case study in parsing regular languages

Logic in Computer Science 2020-05-05 v1 Programming Languages

Abstract

This paper describes how to verify a parser for regular expressions in a functional programming language using predicate transformer semantics for a variety of effects. Where our previous work in this area focused on the semantics for a single effect, parsing requires a combination of effects: non-determinism, general recursion and mutable state. Reasoning about such combinations of effects is notoriously difficult, yet our approach using predicate transformers enables the careful separation of program syntax, correctness proofs and termination proofs.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2005.00197,
  title  = {Combining predicate transformer semantics for effects: a case study in parsing regular languages},
  author = {Anne Baanen and Wouter Swierstra},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2005.00197},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

In Proceedings MSFP 2020, arXiv:2004.14735

R2 v1 2026-06-23T15:13:56.535Z