The B-Method
Published on 19. October 2001
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-0-333-79284-1 (ISBN)
Description
This book provides a textbook introduction to the B-Method, a rigorous methodology for the development of correct software. The text covers all stages of the B software development process - from specification, through refinement and design, down to implementation and automatic code generation. The method uses a single uniform notation throughout development, designed to enable verification at each stage whilst placing particular emphasis on correctness.
· Suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on formal methods and software development
· Written in a clear tutorial style of explanation
· Contains numerous illustrative examples, exercises and self-testing questions with solutions throughout
· Relevant to users of any B-Method CASE tool
· Teaching materials available online
The B-Method : An Introduction also offers readers powerful tool support by providing a free licence for the B-Toolkit - an integrated toolset which supports and extends the entire B development lifecycle.
· Suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on formal methods and software development
· Written in a clear tutorial style of explanation
· Contains numerous illustrative examples, exercises and self-testing questions with solutions throughout
· Relevant to users of any B-Method CASE tool
· Teaching materials available online
The B-Method : An Introduction also offers readers powerful tool support by providing a free licence for the B-Toolkit - an integrated toolset which supports and extends the entire B development lifecycle.
Reviews / Votes
'For a typically structured UK third year, one-semester undergraduate course, Steve Schneider's book with its supporting material offers a product that a lecturer can simply take out of the box and use directly. The completeness and thoroughness of coverage are very impressive, and the clarity of the exposition is exceptional. This book could go a long way towards making the B-Method more accessible to a wider range of computer science students than has been the case hitherto, and I can recommend it with enthusiasm.' - Richard Banach, Manchester University, The Journal of Software Testing, Verification and ReliabilityMore details
Person
STEVE SCHNEIDER is Professor of Computing in the Department of Computing, University of Surrey, UK. He has taught the B-method at undergraduate and postgraduate level over a number of years, and has published papers on B at international formal methods conferences and workshops.
Content
Preface.- Introducing Abstract Machines.- Review of Set Theory and Logic.- Weakest Preconditions.- Towards Machine Consistency.- Parameters, Sets and Constants.- Relations.- Functions and Sequences.- Arrays.- Nondeterminism.- Structuring with INCLUDES.- Structuring with SEES and USES.- Data Refinement.- Refinement of Nondetermnism.- Proof Obligations for Refinements.- Loops.- Implementation Machines.- Case Study: Heapsort.- Library Machines.- Answers to SelfTests.- Appendix A: Generalised Substitution Language.- Appendix B: Machine Readable AMN .- Index.- Index of Machines.