Operational Semantics
The
operational semantics for a programming language describes how a
valid program is interpreted as sequences of computational steps that
are executed on a real or theoretical machine. The resulting state of
the machine after the
sequences have been executedis the meaning of the program.
Developed
by Gordon Plotkin, a common way to rigorously define the operational
semantics is to provide a state transition system for the language of
interest. Such a definition allows a formal analysis of a language,
permitting the study of relations of between
programs.
For
more information: