Reasoning about Prolog programs: From modes through types to assertions

Abstract

Abstract We provide here a systematic comparative study of the relative strength and expressive power of a number of methods for program analysis of Prolog. Among others we show that these methods can be arranged in the following hierarchy: mode analysis ⇒ type analysis ⇒ monotonic properties ⇒ nonmonotonic run-time properties. We also discuss a method allowing us to prove global run-time properties.