Rewriting Logic and Maude: A Wide-Spectrum Semantic Framework for Object-Based Distributed Systems

Abstract

Rewriting logic seems very weH suited as a semantic framework for open object-based distributed systems. Both the distributed states and the local concurrent transitions of such systems can be naturally specified by rewrite theories in which such local concurrent transitions are described by rewrite rules. Maude is a high-performance rewriting logic language and system developed at SRI International that supports executable specification and programming, and a flexible variety of formal analyses. As a wide-spectrum semantic framework, rewriting logic can span the gap between high-level properties and architectural designs on the one hand, and distributed or mobile system implementations on the other. Rewriting logic has been used to give a precise semantics to a number of distributed architectural notations and to obtain formal executable specifications from them. Using Maude and its associated tools, such executable specifications can then be formally analyzed in a variety of ways. Furthermore, high-level properties of such specifications expressed in nonexecutable formalisms such as temporal and modal logics can likewise be analyzed and verified. Since under quite reasonable assuptions rewriting logic specifications can be directly implemented as distributed and mobile systems, it is possible to span the gap from highlevel designs to implementations without leaving the formal frarnework. This paper intro duces rewriting logic and Maude, and surveys the experience that, thanks to the efforts of several research teams, has been gained so far in applying them to open object-based distributed systems.

Formalizing ODP enterprise specifications in Maude

“…Thus, we have two options: either we write all viewpoints specifications in the same FTD, or use different formalisms for the different viewpoints and then translate them into such an FTD. It has been shown that rewriting logic has very good properties as a logical framework, in which representing many different languages and logics, and as a semantic framework, in which giving semantics to them [22]. Formalisms such as CCS, LOTOS, SDL, and many others can be represented in rewriting logic, thus allowing the possibility of bringing very different models under a common semantic framework.…”

“…Rewriting logic is a logic of change that can naturally deal with state and with highly nondeterministic concurrent computations. In particular, it supports very well concurrent object-oriented computation [22].…”

“…We think that Maude can greatly help in this point, and is something that we want to explore further. Rewriting logic is such that faithful translations from other FTDs into Maude can be obtained [19,22].…”

“…We propose Maude [6], an executable rewriting logic language specially well suited for the specification of object-oriented open and distributed systems [22]. As we shall see, this choice not only offers new benefits over the previous approaches for formalizing ODP enterprise specifications (in particular over the Object-Z approach, probably the most widely accepted proposal), but it also allows to overcome some of their limitations.…”

Translating AUML Diagrams into Maude Specifications: A Formal Verification of Agents Interaction Protocols.

“…The rewriting logic, having a sound and complete semantic, was introduced by Meseguer [Mes92b,Mes00,Mes03]. It allows describing concurrent systems.…”