Modelcheckable

Modelcheckable is an adjective used in formal verification to describe artifacts—such as systems, components, or specifications—that can be subjected to model checking. A modelcheckable system can be represented as a formal model, typically a finite-state transition system or a Kripke structure, in which states encode configurations and transitions describe allowed steps. The properties to verify are expressed in temporal logic such as LTL or CTL, and model checking automatically determines whether all possible executions satisfy the specified properties. If a property is violated, model checkers typically provide a counterexample trace.

The concept emphasizes feasibility of automatic exhaustive analysis rather than manual proofs. Achieving model-checkability often requires abstraction or bounding to limit the state space, such as finite domains, data abstraction, or controlled nondeterminism. Techniques like symbolic model checking, partial order reduction, and symmetry reduction help scale verification to larger systems. When systems contain unbounded data or continuous time, they are not trivially model-checkable; approaches include bounded model checking, parameterized models, or combining model checking with theorem proving.

Model-checkable artifacts are common in hardware design, communication protocols, and software controllers where correctness properties such as safety, liveness, or absence of deadlock can be formally specified and checked. Tools used in practice include SPIN, NuSMV, and PRISM, among others. The term often contrasts with non–model-checkable or unbounded systems that require alternative verification methods or rely on conservative approximations.