50 Years of Proof Assistants
6 days ago
- #computer-science
- #formal-verification
- #proof-assistants
- Proof assistants have evolved significantly over the past 50 years, starting with Edinburgh LCF in 1975, which introduced key principles like natural deduction and goal-directed proof.
- The 1985–1995 period saw the development of Cambridge LCF and HOL, with HOL88 enabling hardware verification, marking a shift towards practical applications.
- By the mid-1990s, proof assistants like Isabelle, HOL, and Coq (Rocq) matured, supporting serious mathematics and verification tasks, including floating-point arithmetic and real analysis.
- The 2005–2015 era witnessed landmark achievements such as the formal verification of the seL4 operating system kernel and the CompCert compiler, showcasing the practical utility of proof assistants.
- Recent years (2015–2025) have seen proof assistants gaining acceptance in mainstream mathematics, with projects like ALEXANDRIA and Lean formalizing advanced mathematical theorems.
- Proof assistants are now being used in large-scale industrial projects, such as AWS's Nitro Isolation Engine and CHERI, demonstrating their growing importance in secure system design.
- The future of proof assistants lies in becoming a standard tool in software and hardware development, with increasing adoption in critical systems and mathematical research.