doc-src/TutorialI/document/preface.tex
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     1 \chapter*{Preface}
       
     2 \markboth{Preface}{Preface}
       
     3 
       
     4 This volume is a self-contained introduction to interactive proof
       
     5 in higher-order logic (HOL), using the proof assistant Isabelle. 
       
     6 It is written for potential users rather
       
     7 than for our colleagues in the research world.
       
     8 
       
     9 The book has three parts.  
       
    10 \begin{itemize}
       
    11 \item 
       
    12 The first part, \textbf{Elementary Techniques},
       
    13 shows how to model functional programs in higher-order logic.  Early
       
    14 examples involve lists and the natural numbers.  Most proofs
       
    15 are two steps long, consisting of induction on a chosen variable
       
    16 followed by the \isa{auto} tactic.  But even this elementary part
       
    17 covers such advanced topics as nested and mutual recursion.
       
    18 \item 
       
    19 The second part, \textbf{Logic and Sets}, presents a collection of
       
    20 lower-level tactics that you can use to apply rules selectively.  It
       
    21 also describes Isabelle/HOL's treatment of sets, functions and
       
    22 relations and explains how to define sets inductively.  One of the
       
    23 examples concerns the theory of model checking, and another is drawn
       
    24 from a classic textbook on formal languages.
       
    25 \item 
       
    26 The third part, \textbf{Advanced Material}, describes a variety of other
       
    27 topics.  Among these are the real numbers, records and overloading.  Advanced
       
    28 techniques for induction and recursion are described.  A whole chapter is
       
    29 devoted to an extended example: the verification of a security protocol.
       
    30 \end{itemize}
       
    31 
       
    32 The typesetting relies on Wenzel's theory presentation tools.  An
       
    33 annotated source file is run, typesetting the theory
       
    34 in the form of a \LaTeX\ source file.  This book is derived almost entirely
       
    35 from output generated in this way.  The final chapter of Part~I explains how
       
    36 users may produce their own formal documents in a similar fashion.
       
    37 
       
    38 Isabelle's \hfootref{http://isabelle.in.tum.de/}{web site} contains
       
    39 links to the download area and to documentation and other information.
       
    40 The classic Isabelle user interface is Proof~General~/ Emacs by David
       
    41 Aspinall's\index{Aspinall, David}.  This book says very little about
       
    42 Proof General, which has its own documentation.
       
    43 
       
    44 This tutorial owes a lot to the constant discussions with and the valuable
       
    45 feedback from the Isabelle group at Munich: Stefan Berghofer, Olaf
       
    46 M{\"u}ller, Wolfgang Naraschewski, David von Oheimb, Leonor Prensa Nieto,
       
    47 Cornelia Pusch, Norbert Schirmer and Martin Strecker. Stephan
       
    48 Merz was also kind enough to read and comment on a draft version.  We
       
    49 received comments from Stefano Bistarelli, Gergely Buday, John Matthews
       
    50 and Tanja Vos.
       
    51 
       
    52 The research has been funded by many sources, including the {\sc dfg} grants
       
    53 NI~491/2, NI~491/3, NI~491/4, NI~491/6, {\sc bmbf} project Verisoft, the {\sc
       
    54 epsrc} grants GR/K57381, GR/K77051, GR/M75440, GR/R01156/01 GR/S57198/01 and
       
    55 by the \textsc{esprit} working groups 21900 and IST-1999-29001 (the
       
    56 \emph{Types} project).