Home › Glossary › Fundamentals › Formal language

Beginner · Fundamentals

Formal language

Visual diagram · (in preparation) · Math · (in preparation) · Worked example · 3 difficulty levels.

TL;DR. A precisely defined set of strings, built from an alphabet and adhering to specific formation rules.

Technical Definition

A precisely defined set of strings, built from an alphabet and adhering to specific formation rules.

How it works

A formal language consists of words formed from a specific alphabet and structured according to a strict set of rules. These languages are fundamental for representing knowledge, defining programming languages, and understanding logical structures in AI.

Related Concepts

  • Automata theory — The study of abstract machines and their computational capabilities.

Further Reading

  • Wikipedia — Glossary of AI