Section mechanism¶
Sections are naming scopes that permit creating section-local declarations that can
be used by other declarations in the section. Declarations made
with Variable
, Hypothesis
, Context
,
Let
, Let Fixpoint
and
Let CoFixpoint
(or the plural variants of the first two) within sections
are local to the section.
In proofs done within the section, section-local declarations
are included in the local context of the initial goal of the proof.
They are also accessible in definitions made with the Definition
command.
Sections are opened by the Section
command, and closed by End
.
Sections can be nested.
When a section is closed, its local declarations are no longer available.
Global declarations that refer to them will be adjusted so they're still
usable outside the section as shown in this example.
-
Command
End ident
¶ Closes the section or module named
ident
. See Terminating an interactive module or module type definition for a description of its use with modules.After closing the section, the section-local declarations (variables and section-local definitions, see
Variable
) are discharged, meaning that they stop being visible and that all global objects defined in the section are generalized with respect to the variables and local definitions they each depended on in the section.-
Error
There is nothing to end.
¶
-
Error
Note
Most commands, such as the Hint commands,
Notation
and option management commands that
appear inside a section are canceled when the section is closed.
-
Command
Let ident_decl def_body
¶ -
Command
Let Fixpoint fix_definition with fix_definition*
¶ -
Command
Let CoFixpoint cofix_definition with cofix_definition*
¶ These are similar to
Definition
,Fixpoint
andCoFixpoint
, except that the declared constant is local to the current section. When the section is closed, all persistent definitions and theorems within it that depend on the constant will be wrapped with aterm_let
with the same declaration.As for
Definition
,Fixpoint
andCoFixpoint
, ifterm
is omitted,type
is required and Coq enters proof mode. This can be used to define a term incrementally, in particular by relying on therefine
tactic. In this case, the proof should be terminated withDefined
in order to define a constant for which the computational behavior is relevant. See Entering and exiting proof mode.
-
Command
Context binder+
¶ Declare variables in the context of the current section, like
Variable
, but also allowing implicit variables, Implicit generalization, and let-binders.Context {A : Type} (a b : A). Context `{EqDec A}. Context (b' := b).
See also
Section Binders. Section Sections and contexts in chapter Typeclasses.
Example: Section-local declarations
- Section s1.
- Variables x y : nat.
- x is declared y is declared
The command Let
introduces section-wide Let-in definitions. These definitions
won't persist when the section is closed, and all persistent definitions which
depend on y'
will be prefixed with let y' := y in
.
- Let y' := y.
- y' is defined
- Definition x' := S x.
- x' is defined
- Definition x'' := x' + y'.
- x'' is defined
- Print x'.
- x' = S x : nat x' uses section variable x.
- Print x''.
- x'' = x' + y' : nat x'' uses section variables x y.
- End s1.
- Print x'.
- x' = fun x : nat => S x : nat -> nat Arguments x' x%nat_scope
- Print x''.
- x'' = fun x y : nat => let y' := y in x' x + y' : nat -> nat -> nat Arguments x'' (x y)%nat_scope
Notice the difference between the value of x'
and x''
inside section
s1
and outside.