Explaining Constraint Programming

TL;DR

This paper offers a proof-theoretic perspective on constraint programming, clarifying its core principles, explaining propagation algorithms, and exploring automatic generation and optimization of these algorithms.

Contribution

It introduces a three-level abstraction framework for understanding CP, connecting it to deduction, and addressing algorithm generation and optimization.

Findings

Clarifies the essence of CP through a proof-theoretic lens

Explains various constraint propagation algorithms

Addresses automatic generation and optimization of algorithms

Abstract

We discuss here constraint programming (CP) by using a proof-theoretic perspective. To this end we identify three levels of abstraction. Each level sheds light on the essence of CP. In particular, the highest level allows us to bring CP closer to the computation as deduction paradigm. At the middle level we can explain various constraint propagation algorithms. Finally, at the lowest level we can address the issue of automatic generation and optimization of the constraint propagation algorithms.