Scribbling interactions with a formal foundation

Abstract

In this paper we discuss our ongoing endeavour to apply notations and algorithms based on the π-calculus and its theories for the development of large-scale distributed systems. The execution of a large-scale distributed system consists of many structured conversations (or sessions) whose protocols can be clearly and accurately specified using a theory of types for the π-calculus, called session types. The proposed methodology promotes a formally founded, and highly structured, development framework for modelling and building distributed applications, from high-level models to design and implementation to static checking to runtime validation. At the centre of this methodology is a formal description language for representing protocols for interactions, called Scribble. We illustrate the usage and theoretical basis of this language through use cases from different application domains. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.