The B method is method of software development based on B, a tool-supported formal method based around an abstract machine notation, used in the development of computer software. It was originally developed by Jean-Raymond Abrial in France and the UK. B is related to the Z notation (also originated by Abrial) and supports development of programming language code from specifications. B has been used in major safety-critical system applications in Europe (such as the Paris Métro Line 14), and is attracting increasing interest in industry. It has robust, commercially available tool support for specification, design, proof and code generation.
Compared to Z, B is slightly more low-level and more focused on refinement to code rather than just formal specification — hence it is easier to correctly implement a specification written in B than one in Z. In particular, there is good tool support for this.
Recently, another formal method called Event-B[1] has been developed. Event-B is considered an evolution of B (also known as classical B). It is a simpler notation, which is easier to learn and use. It comes with tool support in the form of the Rodin Platform.
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B notation depends on group theory and first order logic in order to specify different versions of software that covers the complete cycle of project development
In the first and the most abstract version, which is called Abstract Machine, designer should specify the goal of the design.
The B-Toolkit is a collection of programming tools designed to support the use of the B-Tool, a set theory based mathematical interpreter, for the purposes of a formal software engineering methodology known as the B method.
The toolkit uses a custom X Window Motif Interface[2] for GUI management and runs primarily on the Linux and Solaris operating systems. It has been developed by the UK based company B-Core Limited.
This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL.