operational semantics

1 definition found

operational semantics - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  operational semantics
  
     <theory> 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)