{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]],"date-time":"2026-02-17T03:19:05Z","timestamp":1771298345803,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2011,12,1]],"date-time":"2011-12-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1322697600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.acm.org\/publications\/policies\/copyright_policy#Background"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["dl.acm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["ACM Inroads"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Automata theory is an important subject in computer science and quite consequently, simulation of automata for pedagogical purposes is an important topic in computer science education research. This article reviews the major initiatives in the field of simulation of automata in the last five decades with emphasis on those automata simulators actually used at universities for teaching. A classification of the automata simulators on the basis of their design paradigms has been developed where they have been classified broadly into language based automata simulators and visualization centric automata simulators. Some salient trends in the research on simulation of automata are also identified. The article concludes with an advocacy for continuing research on simulation of automata and integration of automata simulators in teaching.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/2038876.2038893","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,10,15]],"date-time":"2012-10-15T19:22:23Z","timestamp":1350328943000},"page":"59-70","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Fifty years of automata simulation"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Pinaki","family":"Chakraborty","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India"}]},{"given":"P. C.","family":"Saxena","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India"}]},{"given":"C. P.","family":"Katti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2011,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_1_1_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1463822.1463827"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/782941.782975"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_3_1","volume-title":"ASSIST: A Simple SImulator for State Transition","author":"Head E. F. S.","year":"1997","unstructured":"Head , E. F. S. 1997 . ASSIST: A Simple SImulator for State Transition . http:\/\/www.cs.binghamton.edu\/~software\/ASSIST.html. Head, E. F. S. 1997. ASSIST: A Simple SImulator for State Transition. http:\/\/www.cs.binghamton.edu\/~software\/ASSIST.html."},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_1_4_1","first-page":"31","article-title":"YATS - yet another Turing machine simulator","volume":"13","author":"Harris J.","year":"1998","unstructured":"Harris , J. 1998 . YATS - yet another Turing machine simulator . Journal of Computing in Small Colleges , 13 ( 3 ): 31 -- 35 . Harris, J. 1998. YATS - yet another Turing machine simulator. Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 13(3): 31--35.","journal-title":"Journal of Computing in Small Colleges"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/306363.306398"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_1_6_1","first-page":"237","article-title":"Programming nondeterministically using automata simulators","volume":"18","author":"Harris J.","year":"2002","unstructured":"Harris , J. 2002 . Programming nondeterministically using automata simulators . Journal of Computing in Small Colleges , 18 ( 2 ): 237 -- 245 . Harris, J. 2002. Programming nondeterministically using automata simulators. Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 18(2): 237--245.","journal-title":"Journal of Computing in Small Colleges"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_7_1","unstructured":"Shelburne B. J. 2002. Software Projects. http:\/\/www4.wittenberg.edu\/academics\/mathcomp\/bjsdir\/software.shtml.  Shelburne B. J. 2002. Software Projects . http:\/\/www4.wittenberg.edu\/academics\/mathcomp\/bjsdir\/software.shtml."},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_1_8_1","first-page":"240","article-title":"Turing machine simulation used in a breadth first computer science course","volume":"22","author":"Scott T. A.","year":"2006","unstructured":"Scott , T. A. 2006 . Turing machine simulation used in a breadth first computer science course . Journal of Computing in Small Colleges , 22 ( 1 ): 240 -- 245 . Scott, T. A. 2006. Turing machine simulation used in a breadth first computer science course. Journal of Computing in Small Colleges, 22(1): 240--245.","journal-title":"Journal of Computing in Small Colleges"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/321250.321251"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/873674.873676"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0020-0255(73)90018-2"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/321420.321421"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_14_1","unstructured":"Chakraborty P. Saxena P. C. and Katti C. P. 201x. A compiler-based toolkit to teach and learn finite automata. Computer Applications in Engineering Education in press.  Chakraborty P. Saxena P. C. and Katti C. P. 201x. A compiler-based toolkit to teach and learn finite automata. Computer Applications in Engineering Education in press."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10002007088537484"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_16_1","unstructured":"Nayar A. Jha A. Malik A. and Anand N. 2010. Optimizing Compiler for the Turing Machine Language. B.Tech. dissertation G. T. B. Institute of Technology G. G. S. Indraprastha University.  Nayar A. Jha A. Malik A. and Anand N. 2010. Optimizing Compiler for the Turing Machine Language . B.Tech. dissertation G. T. B. Institute of Technology G. G. S. Indraprastha University."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_17_1","unstructured":"Chakraborty P. Taneja S. Anand N. Jha A. Malik D. and Nayar A. 2011. An optimizing compiler for Turing machine description language. The IUP Journal of Computer Sciences in press.  Chakraborty P. Taneja S. Anand N. Jha A. Malik D. and Nayar A. 2011. An optimizing compiler for Turing machine description language. The IUP Journal of Computer Sciences in press."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1963533.1963549"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/800193.569940"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/54138.54145"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/646262.685445"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/130962.130971"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/820127.820169"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1028174.971348"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-69387-1_79"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_26_1","unstructured":"Dominguez A. E. O. 2009. Automata. http:\/\/torturo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Automata.jar.  Dominguez A. E. O. 2009. Automata. http:\/\/torturo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Automata.jar."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_27_1","unstructured":"Barwise J. and Etchemendy J. 1986. Turing's World: An Introduction to Computability Academic Courseware Exchange.   Barwise J. and Etchemendy J. 1986. Turing's World: An Introduction to Computability Academic Courseware Exchange."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_28_1","first-page":"93","volume-title":"Blackwell","author":"Barwise J.","unstructured":"Barwise , J. and Etchemendy , J . 1998. Computers, visualization, and the nature of reasoning. In Bynum, T W. and Moor, J. H. (Eds.) The Digital Phoenix: How Computers are Changing Philosophy , Blackwell , pp. 93 -- 116 . Barwise, J. and Etchemendy, J. 1998. Computers, visualization, and the nature of reasoning. In Bynum, T W. and Moor, J. H. (Eds.) The Digital Phoenix: How Computers are Changing Philosophy, Blackwell, pp. 93--116."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_29_1","first-page":"310","volume-title":"Proceeding of the World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia","author":"LoSacco M.","unstructured":"LoSacco , M. and Rodger , S. H . 1993. FLAP: a tool for drawing and simulating automata . Proceeding of the World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia , pp. 310 -- 317 . LoSacco, M. and Rodger, S. H. 1993. FLAP: a tool for drawing and simulating automata. Proceeding of the World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, pp. 310--317."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_30_1","first-page":"365","volume-title":"DIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science","volume":"15","author":"Caugherty D.","unstructured":"Caugherty , D. and Rodger , S. H . 1994. NPDA: a tool for visualizing and simulating nondeterministic pushdown automata. In Dean, N. and Shannon, G. E. (Eds.) Computational Support for Discrete Mathematics , DIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science , vol. 15 , American Mathematical Society , pp. 365 -- 377 . Caugherty, D. and Rodger, S. H. 1994. NPDA: a tool for visualizing and simulating nondeterministic pushdown automata. In Dean, N. and Shannon, G. E. (Eds.) Computational Support for Discrete Mathematics, DIMACS Series in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science, vol. 15, American Mathematical Society, pp. 365--377."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/647263.718821"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_32_1","first-page":"231","volume-title":"Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages","author":"Luce E.","unstructured":"Luce , E. and Rodger , S. H . 1993. A visual programming environment for Turing machines . Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages , pp. 231 -- 236 . Luce, E. and Rodger, S. H. 1993. A visual programming environment for Turing machines. Proceedings of the IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages, pp. 231--236."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/191033.191082"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_34_1","first-page":"121","volume-title":"Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference","author":"Procopiuc M.","unstructured":"Procopiuc , M. , Procopiuc , O. and Rodger , S. H . 1996. Visualization and interaction in the computer science formal languages course with JFLAP . Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference , pp. 121 -- 125 . Procopiuc, M., Procopiuc, O. and Rodger, S. H. 1996. Visualization and interaction in the computer science formal languages course with JFLAP. Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference, pp. 121--125."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/268085.268089"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/290320.283635"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/384266.299800"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/331795.331800"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_39_1","first-page":"104","volume-title":"Proceeding of the Program Visualization Workshop","author":"Rodger S. H.","year":"2002","unstructured":"Rodger , S. H. 2002 . Using hands-on visualizations to teach computer science from beginning courses to advanced courses . Proceeding of the Program Visualization Workshop , pp. 104 -- 113 . Rodger, S. H. 2002. Using hands-on visualizations to teach computer science from beginning courses to advanced courses. Proceeding of the Program Visualization Workshop, pp. 104--113."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1028174.971349"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1140123.1140270"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1124706.1121459"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1269900.1268803"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1539024.1509011"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5555\/378613.378728"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/384266.299704"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_49_1","unstructured":"Burch C. 2001. Automaton Simulator. http:\/\/ozark.hendrix.edu\/~burch\/proj\/autosim\/index.html.  Burch C. 2001. Automaton Simulator. http:\/\/ozark.hendrix.edu\/~burch\/proj\/autosim\/index.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/563517.563489"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_51_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/563517.563364"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/563517.563488"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/792548.611958"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1141904.1141909"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_55_1","first-page":"287","volume-title":"Proceedings of the Argentinean Congress in Computer Science","author":"Esmoris A.","unstructured":"Esmoris , A. and Ches\u00f1evar , C. I . 2003. Una herramienta para la simulaci\u00f3n de aut\u00f3matas traductores en la ense\u00f1anza de teor\u00eda de la computaci\u00f3n . Proceedings of the Argentinean Congress in Computer Science , pp. 287 -- 295 . Esmoris, A. and Ches\u00f1evar, C. I. 2003. Una herramienta para la simulaci\u00f3n de aut\u00f3matas traductores en la ense\u00f1anza de teor\u00eda de la computaci\u00f3n. Proceedings of the Argentinean Congress in Computer Science, pp. 287--295."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_56_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7227\/IJEEE.42.4.5"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1026487.1008094"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_58_1","unstructured":"Bovet J. 2004. Visual Automata Simulator. http:\/\/www.cs.usfca.edu\/~jbovet\/vas.html.  Bovet J. 2004. Visual Automata Simulator . http:\/\/www.cs.usfca.edu\/~jbovet\/vas.html."},{"key":"e_1_2_1_59_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1124706.1121460"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_60_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1597849.1384359"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_1_61_1","first-page":"301","article-title":"On using of Turing machine simulators in teaching of theoretical computer science","volume":"1","author":"\u010cer\u0148ansk\u00fd M.","year":"2008","unstructured":"\u010cer\u0148ansk\u00fd , M. , Neh\u00e9z , M. , Chud\u00e1 , D. and Polick\u00fd , I. 2008 . On using of Turing machine simulators in teaching of theoretical computer science . Journal of Applied Mathematics , 1 ( 2 ): 301 -- 312 . \u010cer\u0148ansk\u00fd, M., Neh\u00e9z, M., Chud\u00e1, D. and Polick\u00fd, I. 2008. On using of Turing machine simulators in teaching of theoretical computer science. Journal of Applied Mathematics, 1(2): 301--312.","journal-title":"Journal of Applied Mathematics"},{"key":"e_1_2_1_62_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1839379.1839449"}],"container-title":["ACM Inroads"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2038876.2038893","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1145\/2038876.2038893","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T09:48:53Z","timestamp":1750240133000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/2038876.2038893"}},"subtitle":["a review"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2011,12]]},"references-count":59,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,12]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1145\/2038876.2038893"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/2038876.2038893","relation":{},"ISSN":["2153-2184","2153-2192"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2153-2184","type":"print"},{"value":"2153-2192","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2011,12]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2011-12-01","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}