We describe KAT-ML, an implementation of an interactive theorem prover for Kleene algebra with tests (KAT). The system is designed to reflect the natural style of reasoning with KAT that one finds in the literature. One can also use the system to reason about properties of simple imperative programs using schematic KAT (SKAT). We explain how the system works and illustrate its use with some examples, including an extensive scheme equivalence proof.
Abstract. Most previous work on the semantics of higher-order programs with local state involves complex storage modeling with pointers and memory cells, complicated categorical constructions, or reasoning in the presence of context. In this paper we show how a relatively simple relational semantics can be used to avoid these complications. We provide a natural relational semantics for a programming language with higher-order functions. The semantics is purely compositional, with all contextual considerations completely encapsulated in the state. We show several equivalence proofs using this semantics based on examples of Meyer and Sieber (1988).
Abstract. Most previous work on the semantics of programs with local state involves complex storage modeling with pointers and memory cells, complicated categorical constructions, or reasoning in the presence of context. In this paper, we explore the extent to which relational semantics and axiomatic reasoning in the style of Kleene algebra can be used to avoid these complications. We provide (i) a fully compositional relational semantics for a first-order programming language with a construct for local variable scoping; and (ii) an equational proof system based on Kleene algebra with tests for proving equivalence of programs in this language. We show that the proof system is sound and complete relative to the underlying equational theory without local scoping. We illustrate the use of the system with several examples.
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