How are finite automata implemented in code?

Question

How does one implement a dfa or an nfa for that matter in Python code?

What are some good ways to do it in python? And are they ever used

Answer 1

Here I present a recursive solution for NFA. Consider the following nfa:

The transitions can be represented using list of lists as follows:

transition = [[[0,1],[0]], [[4],[2]], [[4],[3]], [[4],[4]],[[4],[4]]]

Note: State 4 is a hypothetical state. Once you go to that state, you can't move further. It is helpful when you can't read the input from the current state. You directly go to the state 4 and say input is not accepted for current progress(Check other possibilities by going back). e.g, if you are at q1, and the current input symbol is 'a', you go to state 4 and stop computing further.

Here is the Python code:

#nfa simulation for (a|b)*abb
#state 4 is a trap state


import sys

def main():
    transition = [[[0,1],[0]], [[4],[2]], [[4],[3]], [[4],[4]]]
    input = raw_input("enter the string: ")
    input = list(input) #copy the input in list because python strings are immutable and thus can't be changed directly
    for index in range(len(input)): #parse the string of a,b in 0,1 for simplicity
        if input[index]=='a':
            input[index]='0' 
        else:
            input[index]='1'

    final = "3" #set of final states = {3}
    start = 0
    i=0  #counter to remember the number of symbols read

    trans(transition, input, final, start, i)
    print "rejected"



def trans(transition, input, final, state, i):
    for j in range (len(input)):
        for each in transition[state][int(input[j])]: #check for each possibility
            if each < 4:                              #move further only if you are at non-hypothetical state
                state = each
                if j == len(input)-1 and (str(state) in final): #last symbol is read and current state lies in the set of final states
                    print "accepted"
                    sys.exit()
                trans(transition, input[i+1:], final, state, i) #input string for next transition is input[i+1:]
        i = i+1 #increment the counter


main()

Sample Run(strings ending with abb are accepted):

enter the string: abb
accepted

enter the string: aaaabbbb
rejected