Software Program State

A Software Program State is a software program characteristic that is a software information state that represents the software runtime condition of a running software instance at a specific execution time point.

• AKA: Software State, Application Memory State.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) contain Software Variable Values in software memory space
  • It can (typically) track Software Execution Position in software program code
  • It can (typically) maintain Software Resource References to software system resources
  • It can (often) include Software Register Contents from software process state
  • It can (often) store Software Call Stack Information for software execution tracking
  • It can (often) preserve Software Transaction State during software operation
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Software State to being a Complex Software State, depending on its software state complexity
  • It can range from being a Mutable Software State to being an Immutable Software State, depending on its software modification capability
  • It can range from being a Local Software State to being a Distributed Software State, depending on its software storage location
  • It can range from being a Persistent Software State to being a Transient Software State, depending on its software state durability
  • It can range from being a Consistent Software State to being an Inconsistent Software State, depending on its software data validity
  • ...
  • It can be captured in a Software Memory Dump
  • It can be restored from a Software Checkpoint
  • It can be modified by Software Operations
  • It can be shared between Software Threads
  • It can be managed by a Software State Manager
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Application Software States, such as:
    • Text Editor Software State containing current text and cursor position
    • Game Software State tracking player position and score
    • Browser Software State maintaining open tabs and history
    • ...
  • System Software States, such as:
    • Software Process State tracking execution status
    • Software Memory State showing resource allocation
    • Software Connection State maintaining network status
    • ...
  • Software Transaction States, such as:
    • Database Software State tracking data modifications
    • Payment Software State monitoring transaction progress
    • Session Software State maintaining user interaction status
    • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Software Program Code, which is the static instruction set
  • Software Program Output, which is the result of state transformation
  • Software Documentation, which describes program behavior
  • Software Resource, which enables state changes
• See: Software Program, Software Data Structure, Software Data Object, Software Functional Programming, Software Immutable Object, Software Program Process.

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References

2013

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_%28computer_science%29
  • In computer science and automata theory, the state of a digital logic circuit or computer program is a technical term for all the stored information, at a given instant in time, to which the circuit or program has access. The output of a digital circuit or computer program at any time is completely determined by its current inputs and its state.

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