Programs, interfaces and components

Abstract

The jump instruction is considered essential for an adequate theoretical understanding of imperative sequential programming. Using atomic actions and tests as a basis we outline an algebra of programs, denoted PGA, which captures the crux of sequential programming. PGA provides an ontology for programs rather than a semantics. Out of a multitude of conceivable semantic views on PGA we single out a semantical abstraction operator which assigns to each program a behavior. The meaning of the constants of PGA is explained in terms of behavioral abstraction semantics. Based on program algebra we define the general concept of a sequential programming language.