Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial

Clark Barrett; Cesare Tinelli; Haniel Barbosa; Aina Niemetz; Mathias Preiner; Andrew Reynolds; Yoni Zohar

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31

Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial

Clark Barrett, Cesare Tinelli, Haniel Barbosa, Aina Niemetz, Mathias Preiner, Andrew Reynolds, Yoni Zohar

Department of Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Great minds have long dreamed of creating machines that can function as general-purpose problem solvers. Satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) has emerged as one pragmatic realization of this dream, providing significant expressive power and automation. This tutorial is a beginner’s guide to SMT. It includes an overview of SMT and its formal foundations, a catalog of the main theories used in SMT solvers, and illustrations of how to obtain models and proofs. Throughout the tutorial, examples and exercises are provided as hands-on activities for the reader. They can be run using either Python or the SMT-LIB language, using either the cvc5 or the Z3 SMT solver.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings
Editors	Andre Platzer, Kristin Yvonne Rozier, Matteo Pradella, Matteo Rossi
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	571-596
Number of pages	26
ISBN (Print)	9783031711763
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31
State	Published - 2025
Event	26th International Symposium on Formal Methods, FM 2024 - Milan, Italy Duration: 9 Sep 2024 → 13 Sep 2024

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	14934 LNCS
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	26th International Symposium on Formal Methods, FM 2024
Country/Territory	Italy
City	Milan
Period	9/09/24 → 13/09/24

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31

Cite this

Barrett, C., Tinelli, C., Barbosa, H., Niemetz, A., Preiner, M., Reynolds, A., & Zohar, Y. (2025). Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial. In A. Platzer, K. Y. Rozier, M. Pradella, & M. Rossi (Eds.), Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings (pp. 571-596). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 14934 LNCS). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31

Barrett, Clark ; Tinelli, Cesare ; Barbosa, Haniel et al. / Satisfiability Modulo Theories : A Beginner’s Tutorial. Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings. editor / Andre Platzer ; Kristin Yvonne Rozier ; Matteo Pradella ; Matteo Rossi. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. pp. 571-596 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

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abstract = "Great minds have long dreamed of creating machines that can function as general-purpose problem solvers. Satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) has emerged as one pragmatic realization of this dream, providing significant expressive power and automation. This tutorial is a beginner{\textquoteright}s guide to SMT. It includes an overview of SMT and its formal foundations, a catalog of the main theories used in SMT solvers, and illustrations of how to obtain models and proofs. Throughout the tutorial, examples and exercises are provided as hands-on activities for the reader. They can be run using either Python or the SMT-LIB language, using either the cvc5 or the Z3 SMT solver.",

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Barrett, C, Tinelli, C, Barbosa, H, Niemetz, A, Preiner, M, Reynolds, A & Zohar, Y 2025, Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial. in A Platzer, KY Rozier, M Pradella & M Rossi (eds), Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 14934 LNCS, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 571-596, 26th International Symposium on Formal Methods, FM 2024, Milan, Italy, 9/09/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31

Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial. / Barrett, Clark; Tinelli, Cesare; Barbosa, Haniel et al.
Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings. ed. / Andre Platzer; Kristin Yvonne Rozier; Matteo Pradella; Matteo Rossi. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. p. 571-596 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 14934 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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Barrett C, Tinelli C, Barbosa H, Niemetz A, Preiner M, Reynolds A et al. Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial. In Platzer A, Rozier KY, Pradella M, Rossi M, editors, Formal Methods - 26th International Symposium, FM 2024, Proceedings. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2025. p. 571-596. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-71177-0_31

Satisfiability Modulo Theories: A Beginner’s Tutorial

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