INTRODUCTION TO ALGEBRAIC SPECIFICATION .1. FORMAL METHODS FOR SOFTWARE-DEVELOPMENT

The intention of this part 1 of an overview paper on algebraic specifications is an informal introduction to formal methods for software development in general and to applications of algebraic specifications in particular. Horizontal structuring and vertical refinement techniques for algebraic specifications are shown to support the general software development process. Moreover, a short overview of case studies and tools in the ESPRIT projects LOTOSPHERE and PROSPECTRA is given. In part 2 of this paper we give a survey of the research field of algebraic specifications developed within the last two decades, which shows how the classical view of algebraic specifications has been extended towards a general theory of foundations of system specifications.