From Denotational to Operational and Axiomatic Semantics for ALGOL-like Languages: An Overview

Abstract

The advantages of denotational over operational semantics are argued. A denotational semantics is provided for an ALGOL-like language with finite-model procedures, blocks with local storage, and sharing (aliasing). Procedure declarations are completely explained in the ususal framework of complete partial orders, but cpo's are inadequate for the semantics of blocks, and a new class of store models is developed. Partial correctness theory over store models is developed for commands which may contain calls to global procedures, but do not contain function procedures returning storable values.