Equivalence Check
Updated 2026-08-13
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
An equivalence check is a verification procedure that compares two implementations, formulations, or plans and asks whether they behave identically: the same input must yield the same output, and any difference must be explained rather than ignored. Its core proposition is that a refactor, migration, or substitution is safe only when observable behavior is preserved, not merely when the new version looks correct. The key qualification is coverage, because the check is only as strong as the cases it exercises, so boundary and edge conditions must be included deliberately.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Refactor guard: compare old and new outputs on identical inputs before deleting the original. - Migration gate: run both systems in parallel and diff their results on real traffic. - Difference triage: treat every mismatch as a defect until it is proven to be an intended change.
Anchor fast decisions
Reasoning about code or plans is unreliable because the mind fills gaps with assumptions. Executing both versions on identical inputs replaces that reasoning with observed behavior, so any divergence becomes visible. Differences then point directly to the change that caused them, which localizes errors that inspection alone would miss.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_equivalence_checkingverified
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