Handling expression evaluation under interference

Abstract

Hoare-style inference rules for program constructs permit the copying of expressions and tests from program text into logical contexts. It is known that this requires care even for sequential programs but further issues arise for concurrent programs because of potential interference to the values of variables. The "rely-guarantee" approach does tackle the issue of recording acceptable interference and offers a way to provide safe inference rules. This paper shows how the algebraic presentation of rely-guarantee ideas can clarify and formalise the conditions for safely re-using expressions and tests from program text in logical contexts for reasoning about programs.