Dijkstra's interpretation of the approach to solving a problem of program correctness

Abstract

Proving the program correctness and designing the correct programs are two connected theoretical problems, which are ofgreat practical importance. The first is solved within program analysis, and the second one in program synthesis, although intertwining of these two processes is often due to connection between the analysis and synthesis of programs. Nevertheless, having in mind the automated methods of proving correctness and methods of automatic program synthesis, the difference is easy to tell. This paper presents denotative interpretation of programming calculation explaining semantics by formulae φand ψ, in such a way that they canbe used for defining state sets for program P.