[1] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

operational semantics
     
         a set of rules specifying how the state of an actual
        or hypothetical computer changes while executing a program.
        the overall state is typically divided into a number of
        components, e.g. stack, heap, registers etc.  each rule
        specifies certain preconditions on the contents of some
        components and their new contents after the application of the
        rule.
     
        it is similar in spirit to the notion of a turing machine,
        in which actions are precisely described in a mathematical
        way.
     
        compuare axiomatic semantics, denotational semantics.
     
        1996-08-21
     
     
see also:
stack heap register turing machine axiomatic semantics denotational semantics 

Semantics >> S Words
Semantics, definition of term: Semantics
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Operational >> O Words
Operational, definition of term: Operational
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