LOG(F): an optimal combination of logic programming, rewriting, and lazy evaluation

Sanjai Narain

Expert InsightsPublished 1988

A new approach for combining logic programming, rewriting, and lazy evaluation is described. It rests upon subsuming within logic programming--rather than extending it with--rewriting, and lazy evaluation. A non-termination, non-deterministic rewrite rule system, F*, and a reduction strategy for it, select, are defined. F* is shown to be reduction-complete in that select simplifies terms whenever possible. A class of F* programs called Deterministic F* is defined and shown to satisfy confluence, directedness, and minimality. Confluence ensures that every term can be simplified in at most one way. Directedness eliminates searching in simplification of terms. Minimality ensures that select simplifies terms in a minimum number of steps. Completeness and minimality enable select to exhibit laziness. F* can be compiled in such a way that when SLD-resolution interprets these, it directly simulates the behavior of select. Thus, SLD-resolution is made to exhibit laziness. LOG(F) is defined to be a logic programming system augmented with an F* compiler.

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1988
  • Pages: 86
  • Document Number: P-7437

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Narain, Sanjai, LOG(F): an optimal combination of logic programming, rewriting, and lazy evaluation. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1988. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P7437.html.
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