Term Rewriting Based On Set Automaton Matching

Abstract

In previous work we have proposed an efficient pattern matching algorithm based on the notion of set automaton [12]. In this article we investigate how set automata can be exploited to implement efficient term rewriting procedures. These procedures interleave pattern matching steps and rewriting steps and thus smoothly integrate redex discovery and subterm replacement. Concretely, we propose an optimised algorithm for outermost rewriting of left-linear term rewriting systems, prove its correctness, and present the results of some implementation experiments.