declarativelogic

Declarativelogic is a programming paradigm and theoretical framework in which programs consist of logical specifications that declare what is to be computed rather than how to compute it. In this view, computation arises from applying logical rules to facts and constraints, with results obtained through automatic inference.

Historically, declarativelogic is closely tied to logic programming and deductive databases. Prolog, Datalog, and Answer Set Programming illustrate this approach. Semantics are typically formalized in model-theoretic or fixpoint terms for definite programs, and in non-monotonic, stable-model terms for more complex reasoning. Evaluation relies on inference procedures such as forward and backward chaining, resolution, or constraint propagation.

Programs consist of facts, rules, and sometimes constraints. A rule has the form head :- body, meaning the head is true if the body is true. Queries ask whether certain facts follow, or what values satisfy given conditions. Recursion, negation (under careful conventions), and constraints enable expressive representations.

Common applications include knowledge representation, AI planning, data querying and integration, configuration, and formal verification. Compared with imperative programming, declarativelogic emphasizes correctness and readability, but may pose challenges in performance control, debugging, and scalability, depending on the engine and the problem domain.