In theoretical computer science, a state transition system is an abstract machine used in the study of computation. The machine consists of a set of states and transitions between states, which may be labeled with labels chosen from a set; the same label may appear on more than one transition. If the label set is a singleton, the system is essentially unlabeled, and a simpler definition that omits the labels is possible.
State transition systems coincide mathematically with abstract rewriting systems (as explained further in this article). State transition systems differ however from finite state automata in several ways:
- In a state transition system the set of states is not necessarily finite, or even countable.
- In a state transition system the set of transitions is not necessarily finite, or even countable.
- A finite-state automaton distinguishes a special "start" state and a set of special "final" states.
State transition systems can be represented as directed graphs.
Read more about State Transition System: Formal Definition, Relation Between Labelled and Unlabelled Transition Systems., Comparison With Abstract Rewriting Systems, Extensions
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