Automaton

Also known as: Automata, State machine, Accepter

An automaton is a state machine that reads input and either answers accept/reject (accepter) or emits outputs as it runs (transducer).

Finite accepters (DFA, NFA) are the validators of theory: same job as isValid…() or a regex engine’s match. Start state, transitions on symbols, accepting states. The language is the set of strings that end accepting.

Beyond finite accepters you get pushdown automata, Turing machines, and models like Petri nets for concurrent token flow. Same instinct: finite description, precise runs, yes/no or observable behavior.

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