Editing Semantics (computer science) (section)

==Describing relationships==
For a variety of reasons, one might wish to describe the relationships between different formal semantics.  For example:
*To prove that a particular operational semantics for a language satisfies the logical formulas of an axiomatic semantics for that language.  Such a proof demonstrates that it is "sound" to reason about a particular (operational) ''interpretation strategy'' using a particular (axiomatic) ''proof system''.
*To prove that operational semantics over a high-level machine is related by a [[simulation]] with the semantics over a low-level machine, whereby the low-level abstract machine contains more primitive operations than the high-level abstract machine definition of a given language. Such a proof demonstrates that the low-level machine "faithfully implements" the high-level machine.

It is also possible to relate multiple semantics through [[abstraction (computer science)#Semantics|abstractions]] via the theory of [[abstract interpretation]].{{cn|date=April 2024}}