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Tech riderRev. 20 Sept 2026

K Framework

Ch 246.8of 33Formal Verification Tools
  1. 1Runs onAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted
  2. 2Verification methodhybrid
  3. 3Supported formalismstheorem-proving
  4. 4Input languagesK specification language; C; WebAssembly; EVM; Plutus-Core; Michelson; TEAL
  5. 5Deploymentself-hosted
5 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: kframework.org
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The K Framework homepage

Overview

K Framework is ranked #24 of 33 in formal verification tools on Specifiction. It runs on API, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted.

Compared on formal verification tools

Free plan
Yeskframework.org
Verification method
hybridkframework.org
Supported formalisms
theorem-provingkframework.org
Input languages
K specification language; C; WebAssembly; EVM; Plutus-Core; Michelson; TEALkframework.org
Deployment
self-hostedkframework.org

Facts

Purpose
K is an executable semantic framework for defining programming languages, type systems, and formal analysis tools using configurations and rewrite rules.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Generated tools
K derives language tools from a single semantic specification.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Execution and analysis
K’s command-line tools support compiling, running concrete or symbolic executions, and analyzing specifications through theorem proving.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Core tools
The manual identifies kompile, kparse, krun, and kprove as its main user-facing tools.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Concurrency
K rewrite rules identify which parts of a term are read-only, write-only, read-write, or unused, which the site says makes K suitable for defining concurrent languages with sharing.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Python interface
The site describes pyk as K’s scripting interface for Python.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Editor integrations
The editor support page lists syntax support or plugins for Atom, BBEdit/TextWrangler, Emacs, IntelliJ IDEA, Notepad++, Pygments, Vim, and Visual Studio Code.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Supported installation platforms
The installation page lists Ubuntu Jammy 22.04 and macOS Ventura 13 via Homebrew, and says K is not currently supported natively on Windows.github.com · 8 Oct 2026
Docker
The installation instructions provide Docker images with K pre-installed.github.com · 8 Oct 2026
Dependency requirement
K requires Z3 version 4.8.15; the installation page says other versions are unsupported and may cause incorrect behavior or performance issues.github.com · 8 Oct 2026
Documentation status
The K User Manual says it is still under construction and some features may have partial or missing documentation.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Support
The K site points users to its Discord server as the most direct way to get support, with Matrix also available.kframework.org · 8 Oct 2026
Maker and founding
Runtime Verification says it was founded in 2010 by Grigore Rosu, and that it released the K Framework in 2014.runtimeverification.com · 8 Oct 2026
Configurations and rules
K configurations organize program state into labeled, nestable cells, and rewrite rules describe how terms change.kframework.org · 9 Oct 2026
Control flow
K represents computations as terms that can be matched, moved, modified, or deleted, supporting features such as exceptions and abrupt termination.kframework.org · 9 Oct 2026
Installation
The official site directs users to install K from GitHub releases and provides a `kup` installation command.github.com · 9 Oct 2026
Supported systems
The installation guide lists Ubuntu 22.04, macOS via Homebrew, and Docker images; it says native Windows is not supported and recommends WSL 2.github.com · 9 Oct 2026
Command line
The project README says K users should be comfortable with the command line and that GUI tools are not provided.github.com · 9 Oct 2026
Editor support
The official site links to editor syntax highlighting support for popular editors and IDEs.kframework.org · 9 Oct 2026
Known limitation
The FAQ says K does not provide explicit support for metamodel technologies such as EMF.kframework.org · 9 Oct 2026
Use cases
The official site links to projects using K, including examples and tools based on K definitions.kframework.org · 9 Oct 2026

Company

Headquarters
Urbana, Illinois, United Stateskframework.org · 28 Sept 2026

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Where it ranks on Specifiction

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