LAP: Simple Command-line Tools for Teaching Logic, Algorithms, and Proof in Computer Science

2026-07-08

AI Summary

This work addresses the lack of lightweight, readable, and pedagogically focused tools in logic and algorithms education by designing and implementing a pure Java command-line toolkit. Requiring only the JVM and no external dependencies, the tool integrates core algorithms for propositional and first-order logic—including normal form conversion, DPLL, Tseytin transformation, and equivalence checking—alongside functionalities for authoring, verifying, and visualizing natural deduction proofs. Emphasizing instructional clarity, the toolkit features a clean code structure and provides immediate, intuitive feedback to help students grasp logical inference mechanisms and algorithmic execution. It effectively bridges a gap in existing educational resources by offering an integrated, minimalistic, and teaching-oriented solution.

Abstract

The LAP toolset is a set of command line tools for teaching logic in computer science. It provides implementations of standard algorithms for propositional and first order logic, including conversions to various normal forms, propositional satisfiability algorithms such as DPLL, Tseytin's transformation, and equivalence checking. Significantly, LAP also supports a language for expressing a natural deduction derivation for propositional or first order logic. The tools can check the derivation, provide meaningful feedback if it is wrong, or display the derivation in a variety of formats. The toolset is written in Java and has no dependencies other than a Java Virtual Machine. The code has been designed to be easy to read and to illuminate the data definitions and algorithms.

Problem

• logic
• algorithms
• proof
• teaching
• computer science

Innovation

• natural deduction
• propositional logic
• first-order logic
• DPLL algorithm
• educational tool