operational semantics


operational semantics

(theory)A set of rules specifying how the state of an actualor hypothetical computer changes while executing a program.The overall state is typically divided into a number ofcomponents, e.g. stack, heap, registers etc. Each rulespecifies certain preconditions on the contents of somecomponents and their new contents after the application of therule.

It is similar in spirit to the notion of a Turing machine,in which actions are precisely described in a mathematicalway.

Compuare axiomatic semantics, denotational semantics.