🚀 go-pugleaf

blk@mitre.org (Brian L. Kahn) writes:


>For some time, I've puzzled over the difference (if any) between a
>specification language and a programming language.  The best I can
>come up with is that a spec has less information about data structures
>and/or algorithms than is usually found in code.  Higher order
>programming languages and executable specification languages blur this
>already shaky description.  Anyone feel strongly about this issue?
>Scratch that, I've read this newgroup awhile and I know that strong
>feelings abound. ( ;-)  Anyone have a cleaner definition than this?

The class of specification languages properly contains the class of
programming languages.
My definition:

	A specification is a formal (i.e. clearly stated) description of
	the required behaviour of a system (not necessarily a software
	or purely software system). Specification languages deal with
	specifications.

	A program is a specification of a software system which is known
	to be executable. A common way to build a program is to use atomic
	components which are known to be executable, and constructors
	known to preserve executability. Languages containing only such
	primitives are programming languages. Note they remain specification
	languages.

--
Brendan Mahony                   | brendan@batserver.cs.uq.oz       
Department of Computer Science   | heretic: someone who disgrees with you
University of Queensland         | about something neither of you knows
Australia                        | anything about.