A Knowledge-Based System for Automatic Program Construction

Abstract

PECOS Is a system that synthesizes programs from abstract specifications through the use of a knowledge base of programming rules. The rules deal explicitly with various aspects of the programming process, including Intermediate-level constructs and certain design decisions. Programs are specified as abstract algorithms in a high-level language for tile domain of symbolic computation. Programs are constructed by a process of gradual refinement: PECOS retrieves and applies relevant rules until the original abstract description has been refined Into a concrete ,program. When several rules are relevant in the same situation, each is applied separately, enabling PECOS to construct a variety of programs for a given abstract specification. KEYWORDS: Automatic programmin g, Program refinement, Programming knowledge, Rules about programming, Knowledge-based systems.