Issues in the Practical Use of Graph Rewriting

Graphs are a popular data structure, and graph-manipulation programs are common. Graph manipulations can be cleanly, compactly, and explicitly described using graph-rewriting notation. However, when a software developer is persuaded to try graph rewriting, several problems commonly arise. Primarily, it is difficult for a newcomer to develop a feel for how computations are expressed via graph rewriting. Also, graph-rewriting is not convenient for solving all aspects of a problem: better mechanisms are needed for interfacing graph rewriting with other styles of computation. Efficiency considerations and the limited availability of development tools further limit practical use of graph rewriting. The inaccessible appearance of the graph-rewriting literature is an additional hindrance. These problems can be addressed through a combination of "public relations" work, and further research and development, thereby promoting the widespread use of graph rewriting.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1994
• Where: TAGT
• Authors: Dorothea Blostein, Hoda Fahmy, Ann Grbavec
• Keywords: Graph Manipulations, Graph Rewriting, Graph Theory, Popular Data Structure, TAGT 1994