Reusing your programming language as a spec language pulls compilation into your TCB
ezyang · x · 2026-11-09
ezyang notes that if your language has a formal semantics, you can skip a dedicated spec language and state properties as e.g. "fuzz test programs that must not crash" (as in Anthropic's work). But the trade-off: spec languages want a small TCB, and relying on low-level semantics of compiled output puts correct compilation of your spec inside the TCB.
More from coding & agent
- Team's AI agent fixes 40 of 41 user-reported issues in a single weekend — julianweisser · 2026-11-09
- HEELO Harness Framework Lifts Terminal-Bench Resolution from 37.3% to 55.5% — Haibo Jin · 2026-11-09
- NVIDIA's AgentBaton: Well-Timed Strong-to-Weak Model Handoffs Slash Agent Costs — nvidia · 2026-11-09
- FrontierCS 2 update: Claude Sonnet 5.5 beats reference on 50% of tasks, reward hacks published — ajratner · 2026-11-09
- "Being technical" now means having the patience to ask Claude until you get it — brandon_galang · 2026-11-09
- Together AI: leaderboards are for shortlisting, your production traffic is the real benchmark — togethercompute · 2026-11-09