Deterministic and Non-deterministic Mechanisms

A review of automatic mechanisms, studying the relationship between their deterministic and their non-deterministic versions, is the focus of this book, along with the study of what non-determinism brings and how to harness it. Non-determinism has been seen as something to be avoided, yet it plays a crucial role in the construction of large and small software. From Finite Automata to Turing machines, different types of automatic mechanism have a deterministic and a non-deterministic definition. The deterministic version can be implemented directly, but the non-deterministic version brings a specific advantage. The B method shows how to develop software from a non-deterministic specification to an implementable deterministic version.