AutomataLab

A modern, fast, interactive desktop app (Tauri) and hosted simulator for automata, grammars, and parsers across the Chomsky hierarchy.

Download & Install

Download AutomataLab v5.1.1

Auto-updates are supported on desktop builds. A thinner hosted simulator is also available from the project landing page; it exposes a subset of machine types and examples compared to the full Tauri app.

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Three workspaces

Workspace	What you do there
Machine Studio	Draw and simulate automata on an interactive canvas.
Grammar Lab	Edit regex and Chomsky Types 0–3 grammars; analysis and tools depend on the selected format.
Parser Studio	Build LL/LR/CYK/Earley tables and step through parses on the same grammar syntax as Grammar Lab.

In-app docs: F1 User Manual, F2 Theory Handbook. Help also includes workspace-specific quick reference.

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Features

Machine Studio

• Machine types: DFA, NFA, ε-NFA, Mealy, Moore, DPDA, NPDA, TM, multi-track TM (MTM), LBA, NLBA, plus grammar-derived recognizers where supported.
• Canvas: Drag-and-drop states and transitions; ELK-based auto-layout; JFLAP .jff and native .autolab.json import/export (transducers use JSON only—JFLAP has no portable output fields).
• Simulation: Step, play, and batch test suites. NFA/NPDA/NLBA runs expose a computation tree (export JSON, Markdown, or SVG outline from Export).
• Conversions (transform): ε-removal, subset construction, DFA minimization, Regex→NFA (Thompson), CFG→PDA, Mealy↔Moore, regex/Type-3→machine, and bounded grammar recognizers.
• Extract to text: FA→regex (GNFA elimination) and PDA→CFG (triplet construction with automatic PDA normalization). Results can open directly in Grammar Lab.

Grammar Lab

• Formats: Regular expressions, and grammars classified as Type 3, 2, 1, or 0. Tabs (FIRST/FOLLOW, CNF, derivations, etc.) are gated by format—CFG-only tools do not run on unrestricted grammars.
• Diagnostics: Nullability, FIRST/FOLLOW, left recursion, and ambiguity checks where applicable.
• Transforms: CNF/GNF and related CFG tools on Type 2/3 input.
• Derivations: Bounded search for Types 0–3 with explicit outcomes when limits are hit (RESOURCE_LIMIT is inconclusive, not a proof of non-membership).
• Transfer: Send grammar text to Parser Studio or build a standard machine target without retyping rules.

Parser Studio

• Algorithms: LL(1); LR(0), SLR(1), LALR(1), CLR(1); CYK; Earley; recursive-descent backtracking.
• Views: Parse tables, LR item-set automaton graph (compact layout for large grammars; graph hidden above ~1500 states—tables and simulation still work), stack/buffer, syntax tree, and timeline transport.
• Batch: Run many inputs without mutating the interactive parse session.

Desktop file I/O (Tauri)

• Open/Save machine projects (.autolab.json, .jff) and grammar/parser .txt files.
• Open Recent lists machines and labeled grammar/parser text files (available from the hub when the list is non-empty).

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Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
F1 / F2	User Manual / Theory Handbook
Space or P	Play / Pause simulation
Right Arrow or S	Step forward (simulation; or complete a transition when drawing on canvas)
Left Arrow	Step back
R	Reset simulation
N	Add state at viewport centre
I / F	Toggle start / accept (recognizers)
Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y	Undo / Redo
Ctrl + Click / Shift + Drag	Add to selection / rubber-band select
Ctrl + C / V / X	Copy / Paste / Cut
Ctrl/Cmd + N / O / S / Shift + S	New / Open / Save / Save As

More shortcuts are listed in the in-app manual.

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Development

Requirements: Node.js (LTS), Rust toolchain for Tauri desktop builds.

npm install

# Desktop app (recommended for full features and file paths)
npm run tauri:dev

# Web dev server only
npm run dev

# Verify
npm test
npx tsc --noEmit
npm run build

# Desktop release binary (optional)
npm run tauri:build

Engines live under src/engines/ (pure TypeScript, no React). UI under src/components/ and src/store/.

Tests: npm test runs Vitest over src/**/*.test.ts. Ad-hoc scripts and sample batch suites live under tests/. Release docs: CHANGELOG.md (history + CI release body) and release_notes.md (optional announcement copy).

Notes for contributors

• PDA→CFG: PDAs built via CFG→PDA may return the original grammar text on extract (language-preserving round-trip). Other PDAs use triplet extraction after normalization.
• LR automaton graph: Simplified layout between 200 and 1500 LR states; no graph rendering above 1500 states.
• Open Recent requires Tauri (absolute paths); the hosted simulator uses Open each time.

File formats and deeper design notes: Project Wiki.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.