Bridging the gap between specification and implementation

The claim that in knowledge compilation the gap between specifications and run-time architectures is substantial is examined. The forces that create the gap are identified and discussed. Two general approaches to closing this gap are described. One approach, which has been the focus of knowledge compilation research, converts specifications into a form that the run-time architecture can interpret directly. The other approach, which has been the focus of work on model-directed reasoning and task-specific architectures, changes the run-time architecture so that it can interpret the given specifications directly.<>