A semantic model for the analysis and verification of programs in general, higher-level languages

Abstract

Today the predominant theoretical basis for the semantic analysis of programs is the inductive assertion method due to floyd 'Floyd1', and the deductive logical systems subsequently developed by Hoare and others. Howoever, these systems link the derivation of knowledge about programs directly to the verification of asserted programs; they do not provide an adequate basis for such tasks as source-to-source optimization, interactive program documentation, or static performance analysis. In varying degrees, they require the user to provide redundant specificatlons trlvially derivable from the program text. Furthermore,several features found in hlgher-level programming languages create substantial problems for the practical application of these deductive systems.