formal methods
<mathematics, specification> Mathematically based techniques
for the {specification}, development and verification of
software and hardware systems.
{Referentially transparent} languages are amenable to symbolic
manipulation allowing {program transformation} (e.g. changing
a clear inefficient specification into an obscure but
efficient program) and proof of correctness.
Oxford FM archive
(http://comlab.ox.ac.uk/archive/formal-methods.html).
(1996-05-15)