Operational Semantics Builder

---
name: operational-semantics-builder
description: Define and test operational semantics specifications for programming languages
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - Write
  - Edit
  - Glob
  - Grep
metadata:
  specialization: computer-science
  domain: science
  category: programming-language-theory
  phase: 6
graph:
  domains: [domain:computer-science]
  specializations: [specialization:theoretical-computer-science]
  skillAreas: [skill-area:compiler-implementation, skill-area:language-design, skill-area:graph-algorithms]
  workflows: [workflow:research-grant-lifecycle]
  roles: [role:research-engineer, role:computational-scientist]
---

# Operational Semantics Builder

## Purpose

Provides expert guidance on defining operational semantics for programming language specification and testing.

## Capabilities

- Small-step semantics rule generation
- Big-step semantics rule generation
- Evaluation context definition
- Substitution and binding handling
- Semantics execution/testing
- Equivalence proofs

## Usage Guidelines

1. **Semantics Style**: Choose small-step or big-step
2. **Rule Definition**: Define reduction/evaluation rules
3. **Contexts**: Define evaluation contexts if needed
4. **Testing**: Execute semantics on test programs
5. **Validation**: Verify expected behavior

## Tools/Libraries

- PLT Redex
- K Framework
- Ott
- Maude