Editing Process calculus (section)

{{short description|Family of approaches for modelling concurrent systems}}
In [[computer science]], the '''process calculi''' (or '''process algebras''') are a diverse family of related approaches for formally modelling [[concurrent system]]s. Process calculi provide a tool for the high-level description of interactions, communications, and synchronizations between a collection of independent agents or processes. They also provide [[algebra]]ic laws that allow process descriptions to be manipulated and analyzed, and permit formal reasoning about equivalences between processes (e.g., using [[bisimulation]]). Leading examples of process calculi include  [[Communicating Sequential Processes|CSP]], [[Calculus of Communicating Systems|CCS]], [[Algebra of Communicating Processes|ACP]], and [[Language Of Temporal Ordering Specification|LOTOS]].<ref name="baeten2004">{{cite journal|first=J.C.M. |last=Baeten| url = http://alexandria.tue.nl/extra1/wskrap/publichtml/200402.pdf | title = A brief history of process algebra | journal = Rapport CSR 04-02 | publisher = Vakgroep Informatica, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven | year = 2004 }}</ref> More recent additions to the family include the [[Pi-calculus|π-calculus]], the [[ambient calculus]], [[PEPA]], the [[fusion calculus]] and the [[join-calculus]].