Catalog description: 

General principles and techniques for disciplined detailed software design.  Basic theory of grammars and parsing.  State-transition and table-based design.  Formal specification languages and program derivation. Techniques for handling concurrency and inter-process communication. Tools for model-driven construction. 

Prerequisite: 

CSE 201, CSE 274 and MTH 231

Required topics (approximate weeks allocated):

• Basics of formal languages, syntax and semantics (1.0) 
• Grammars & parsers  (1.0)
• Modeling (3.0)
  
  • FSM 
  • UML 
  • state charts 
• Pre- and post-conditions  (2.0) 
• Program derivation  (2.0) 
• Using API Contract programming, e.g. Spec#  (3.0) 
• Concurrency  (1.0) 
• Inter-process communication (1.0)
• Analyzing concurrent designs (1.0)
• Tests and final exam (1.0) 

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and use BNF notations
2. Understand the basic theory of grammars and parsers
3. Use formal methodologies during software development
   • The student can apply a wide variety of software construction techniques such as model-driven construction
   • The student can use tools that support the construction of software
   • The student can apply state-based and table-driven approaches to low-level design of software
4. Create simple formal specifications of low-level software modules
   • The student will create pre and post conditions in additional to ensure clauses for low-level software modules
   • The student can check the validity of these specifications
   • The student can generate code from the specifications using program derivation methods or appropriate tools
   • The student can generate ensure clauses when using Middleware
5. Understand the issues associated with concurrent programs