Home

AutomataLab Wiki

AutomataLab is a modern, fast, cross-platform desktop application for designing, simulating, and testing automata across the Chomsky hierarchy — from finite automata all the way up to Turing machines. It pairs an interactive, node‑based visual canvas with a rigorous, theory‑faithful simulation engine.

Built with Tauri + React + TypeScript, it runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and also ships as a web build on Vercel.

Current version: v4.1.0 — see the Roadmap for what's next and the full changelog.

---

What can it do?

• Seven machine types covering the whole Chomsky hierarchy: DFA, NFA, ε‑NFA, DPDA, NPDA, TM, LBA — including multi‑tape Turing machines.
• Interactive canvas — drag‑and‑drop states, draw transitions from a hover connection dot, and tidy diagrams with one‑click ELK auto‑layout.
• Live simulation — step forward/back or play continuously at adjustable speed, watching the active states, stack (PDA), or tape (TM/LBA) update in real time.
• Computation tree / trellis — visualise every branch of a nondeterministic run, colour‑coded by status.
• Transition (δ) table editor, data export (CSV / LaTeX / JSON), and a batch test runner with accept: / reject: expectations.
• Real‑time validation with declared input (Σ) and stack/tape (Γ) alphabets, plus a one‑click Complete DFA fix.
• Desktop niceties — multi‑tab editing, native save/load of .autolab.json files, light/dark themes, and over‑the‑air auto‑updates.

---

Start here

If you want to…	Read
Install the app or build from source	Getting Started
Learn the editor, panels, and workflow	User Guide
Understand the machine models	Machine Types
Run and debug a simulation	Simulation
Test many strings at once / export data	Transition Table & Data Tools
Hand‑write or generate a machine file	File Format
Hack on the codebase	Architecture
Understand project rationale	Decision Log
Help improve the project	Contributing Guide

---

Full page index

• Getting Started — download, install, build from source, your first machine.
• User Guide — canvas, tools, editing, panels, files, tabs, shortcuts.
• Machine Types — the Chomsky hierarchy and how each model behaves.
  • Finite Automata — DFA, NFA, ε‑NFA.
  • Pushdown Automata — DPDA, NPDA, the stack.
  • Turing Machines & LBA — tape, multi‑tape, reject states, bounded heads.
• Simulation — controls, tape/stack panels, computation tree vs. trellis, loop guard.
• Validation & Alphabets — warnings vs. errors, Σ and Γ, Complete DFA.
• Transition Table & Data Tools — δ‑table, export, batch runner.
• File Format — the .autolab.json schema.
• Keyboard Shortcuts — every shortcut at a glance.
• Architecture — tech stack, engine design, how to add a machine type.
• Decision Log — rationale behind architecture and process decisions.
• Contributing Guide — development setup, standards, and review process.
• FAQ & Troubleshooting — common questions and fixes.
• Roadmap — shipped milestones and what's planned.

---

License

AutomataLab is released under the MIT License.