Papers for

program verification teams

Papers whose findings have a practical use for this group, as judged from the abstract. Open a paper to read what it means in practice.

New logic semantics improve reasoning with constructive proofs

Complete Heyting Algebra Semantics for an Intuitionistic Version of Matching Logic (Extended Abstract)

Abstract: We present work in progress towards an intuitionistic version of Applicative Matching Logic. We introduce a semantics based on complete Heyting algebras, and propose a proof system which we prove to be sound relative to this semantics.

Mon 28 SeptLogic in Computer Science
The gist
Sometimes, computers need to reason using logic that avoids assuming things without proof, called intuitionistic logic. The authors work on a version of matching logic that fits this constructive style. They created a way to interpret this logic using mathematical structures called complete Heyting algebras. They also designed a system to prove statements in this logic and showed it works correctly according to their interpretation.
Open → 2609.34894v1

Semantics with finite contexts enable fixed points in infinite structures

Finite-Context Semantics in Finitely Supported Structures

Abstract: Semantics for systems with names and data often depends on finitely many distinguished values. The theory of finitely supported structures treats this dependence through invariance under permutations fixing a finite context. We develop this approach to semantics over arbitrary permutation groups and arbitrary infinite sets of atoms. The central difficulty is that finitely supported predicate spaces need not be complete lattices. We prove that, for predicates valued in a complete lattice with trivial atom action, every monotone finitely supported transformer nevertheless has least and greatest fixed points. These lie in the complete lattice determined by the transformer's context and coincide with the fixed points of every compatible monotone ambient extension equivariant under its stabilizer. Support-transfer bounds track dependencies through semantic constructions, while uniform finiteness yields finite convergence. For Boolean predicates, $m$ context-stabilizer orbits on the carrier suffice for convergence after at most $m$ iterations, even when the supported predicate lattice is orbit-infinite. We apply these results to automata, operational and modal semantics, abstract interpretation, and resource rewriting. Ultrahomogeneous atom structures in finite relational signatures yield finite cell representations, illustrated by an authorization monitor. The resulting account separates semantic existence, finite convergence, and effective computation.

Fri 25 SeptLogic in Computer ScienceFormal Languages and Automata TheoryProgramming Languages
The gist
Handling systems that involve names and data can be tricky when the system depends only on a limited set of special values. This paper studies how to define meanings (semantics) that stay consistent when you swap around unrelated values, focusing on infinite sets with certain symmetries. The authors show that, even in complex infinite setups, important mathematical tools called fixed points exist and can be found efficiently when considering how these special values affect the system. They demonstrate how this theory applies to computer models like automata and program semantics, helping ensure consistent reasoning about programs using these infinite yet structured data sets.
Open → 2609.31917v1

Pointwise provable equality fails to ensure compositional consistency in arithmetic-based programs

Pointwise provable equality and the failure of composition

Abstract: Montagna (1989) and Di Paola--Montagna (1991) claim that the algebraic systems $S'$ and $S'_T$, respectively, are categories. We show that the proposed composition is not independent of the choice of representatives. For every consistent recursively enumerable extension $T$ of Peano arithmetic ($\mathrm{PA}$), we exhibit two program indices that are pointwise provably equal in $T$ but yield inequivalent composites when each is run after the same program. Montagna's $S'$ is the case $T=\mathrm{PA}$. The failure already occurs for partial maps from $ω$ to itself. Weak totality and the proposed range assignment also depend on the choice of representatives. More generally, for consistent $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$, pointwise provable equality is a composition congruence exactly when $T$ proves every true $Π^0_1$ sentence, in which case it is extensional equality. This completeness condition fails for every consistent recursively enumerable $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$ by Gödel's second incompleteness theorem. For every extension $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$, the least composition congruence containing pointwise provable equality is extensional equality if $T$ is $Σ^0_1$-sound and the universal relation otherwise.

Tue 22 SeptLogic in Computer Science
The gist
The paper finds that when comparing computer programs based on a certain notion of equality proven inside arithmetic, two programs can seem equal piece by piece but behave differently when combined with others. This contradicts earlier claims that these programs form a mathematical structure called a category, which requires composition to be consistent. The authors show this inconsistency occurs even with basic types of partial functions and ties the problem to foundational limits in arithmetic. They also characterize exactly when this type of equality behaves well under composition, linking it to strong forms of truth provability in arithmetic.
Open → 2609.25556v1