RedAlert: Determinacy Inference for Prolog

TL;DR

RedAlert introduces a simplified, effective method for determinacy inference in Prolog, improving handling of the cut operator through a new semantics and backward analysis, validated by formal proofs and experiments.

Contribution

It presents a new semantics for cut and a backward analysis approach that simplifies and enhances determinacy inference in Prolog.

Findings

Method is simpler and easier to implement than existing techniques.

Improves handling of cut in determinacy inference.

Validated by formal correctness proofs and experimental results.

Abstract

This paper revisits the problem of determinacy inference addressing the problem of how to uniformly handle cut. To this end a new semantics is introduced for cut, which is abstracted to systematically derive a backward analysis that derives conditions sufficient for a goal to succeed at most once. The method is conceptionally simpler and easier to implement than existing techniques, whilst improving the latter's handling of cut. Formal arguments substantiate correctness and experimental work, and a tool called 'RedAlert' demonstrates the method's generality and applicability.