verificationdependent

Verificationdependent, often written verification-dependent or verification dependent, is a term used in software engineering and formal methods to describe software, systems, or components whose correctness guarantees depend on formal verification results. In a verification-dependent approach, verification artifacts such as proofs, certificates, or annotations are integral to the system's trust model; execution or deployment may assume the correctness of the verifier and the specified properties.

In practice, verification-dependent designs involve creating formal specifications, proving that implementation satisfies them, and distributing or referencing the proofs alongside the program. A classic example is proof-carrying code, where a code producer supplies a machine-checkable proof that the code adheres to a safety policy, and a verifier checks the proof before execution. Similarly, certified kernels or safety-critical control software rely on externally validated proofs of correctness.

This approach is common in safety-critical domains, formalization-heavy compiler verification, and in dependently typed programming languages and proof assistants. It enables strong, machine-checkable guarantees but also introduces dependencies on the verification toolchain, the correctness of proof artifacts, and the maintenance burden when specifications evolve.

Advantages include stronger guarantees, potential to reduce runtime checks, and improved assurance for regulators and customers. Disadvantages include potential brittleness if the verifier is imperfect, the risk of unsound proofs leaking into system trust, and overhead in producing and managing proofs.

See also: formal verification, proof-carrying code, certified software, dependently typed programming, proof assistants.