Draft:Proofware

This may take 2 months or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 2,137 pending submissions waiting for review.

Draft:Proofware



Proofware is a term used in formal methods research for software artifacts and programming practices in which machine-checkable proofs are developed as part of the software system.[1] The term has been used in work on trustworthy computing through programming with proofs and in research on verified computation and proof-carrying architectures.[2]

Proofware is closely related to proof assistants, proof-carrying code, certified programming, and formal verification, but it refers to the proof-bearing software artifact or architecture rather than only to the tool used to construct the proof. A proof assistant may be used to create proofware, while proofware is the resulting software, proof, or verified boundary that can be checked by a machine.[1]

Relationship to proof assistants

Proof assistants such as Lean, Coq, and Isabelle are interactive theorem provers used to write and check formal proofs.[3] Proofware is not itself a proof assistant. It is the software or software-design artifact produced when machine-checkable proofs are integrated into the system being built.[1]

This distinction is similar to the distinction between a compiler and compiled software: a proof assistant is a tool, while proofware is an artifact or system whose correctness claims depend on proofs produced or checked by such tools.

Background

The idea of software accompanied by machine-checkable evidence is associated with several established areas of formal methods.

Proof-carrying code

Proof-carrying code (PCC), introduced by George C. Necula in 1997, is a mechanism in which code is distributed with a machine-checkable proof of safety properties. The host verifies the proof before accepting or executing the code.[4] Proofware research generalizes this proof-bearing approach beyond low-level code safety into broader programming-with-proofs settings.[1]

Certified programming

Certified programming uses formal specifications and machine-checked proofs to establish properties of programs. In this setting, the program and the proof are developed together, often with a proof assistant or related verification tool.[3] Proofware may be understood as a software artifact in which this proof-bearing structure is part of the delivered system or architecture.[1]

Formal verification

Formal verification is the use of mathematical methods to prove that a system satisfies a formal specification.[5] Proofware is one way formal verification can appear as part of software construction: proofs are not only external documentation, but artifacts connected to the program or system being checked.[1]

Characteristics

Descriptions of proofware emphasize the use of machine-checkable proofs in the construction of trustworthy software systems.[1] Common characteristics include:

  • Machine-checkable proof: correctness or safety claims are represented as formal proofs that can be checked by software rather than accepted only by informal review.[4]
  • Connection to software artifacts: the proof is associated with code, a verified component, or a software architecture rather than existing only as a mathematical result.[2]
  • Reduced trust in producers: as in proof-carrying code, the consumer or checker verifies the proof instead of relying only on the authority of the code producer.[4]
  • Use of formal-methods tools: proof assistants, model checkers, and related verification systems may be used to construct or check the proofs.[5][3]
Concept Relationship to proofware
Proof assistant A tool for constructing and checking formal proofs. Proofware is the proof-bearing software artifact or architecture, not the tool alone.[3]
Proof-carrying code A specific mechanism in which code is distributed with a proof of safety. Proofware is a broader term used for programming with proofs and verified computation artifacts.[4][1]
Formal verification The broader discipline of proving that systems satisfy specifications. Proofware refers to software artifacts or architectures that incorporate such proofs.[5]
Testing Testing samples executions; proofware relies on formal proof for stated properties, although tested components may still exist in the surrounding system.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Pientka, Brigitte (2013). "Proofware: establishing trustworthy computing through programming with proofs". Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  2. ^ a b Blanco, Rob (2013). Proofware: verified computation and proof-carrying architectures (Ph.D. Thesis). McGill University.
  3. ^ a b c d de Moura, Leonardo; Ullrich, Sebastian (2021). The Lean 4 Theorem Prover and Programming Language. 28th International Conference on Automated Deduction (CADE-28). Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-79876-5_37.
  4. ^ a b c d e Necula, George C. (1997). Proof-Carrying Code. Proceedings of the 24th ACM SIGPLAN-SIGACT Symposium on Principles of Programming Languages (POPL). ACM. pp. 106–119. doi:10.1145/263699.263712.
  5. ^ a b c Clarke, Edmund M.; Emerson, E. Allen; Sifakis, Joseph (2009). "Model Checking: Algorithmic Verification and Debugging". Communications of the ACM. 52 (11): 74–84. doi:10.1145/1592761.1592781.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.