Tags:Formal Methods, SMT, Software Engineering and Theorem Proving
Abstract:
Theorem proving has a proud history of elite academic pursuit and select industrial use. Impact, when predicated on acquiring the internals of a formalism or proof environment, is gated on skilled and idealistic adapters. In the case of automatic theorem provers known as Satisfiability Modulo Theories, SMT, solvers, the barrier of entry is shifted to tool builders and their domains. SMT solvers typically provide convenient support for domains that are prolific in software engineering and have in the past decade found widespread use cases in both academia and industry. We describe some of the background developing the Z3 solver, the factors that have played an important role in shaping its use, and an outlook on further development and adaption.