A System for Logic Program Synthesis from Incomplete Specifications

vironment (described elsewhere in this volume). It aims at automated logic pro-gram synthesis from incomplete specifications. After introducing the idea of incomplete specifications, the SYNAPSE approach to synthesis is described, and the SYNAPSE system is illustrated in terms of a sample execution.2 1 Incomplete Specifications A logic program development methodology has been proposed by the second author [3]. It aims at programming-in-the-small, and is (mainly) meant for “algorithmic ” problems. It starts from a complete, yet informal, specification of the target problem. A crucial step is the design of the logic of the program, based solely on the declarative semantics of logic, and with exclusive concern about correctness issues. Procedural semantics and efficiency are taken care of in a later optimization and implementation step. The methodology gives rise to many computer-assistance, if not automation, opportuni-ties. The FOLON environment [9] aims at this, and is described elsewhere in this volume. But, as specifications are non-formal, the crucial step cannot be automated. This research thus investigates an alternative approach to logic program development, namely (fully) au