Finite-state machine
lastmod 2024-12-18created 2022-03-203 edits
A finite-state machine (FSM) or finite automaton (FA; plural: finite automata) is a mathematical model used to design computer programs and digital logic circuits. It is sometimes simply called a 'state machine'.
A finite-state machine is an automaton, i.e., an abstract machine, that can have a finite number of states.
- Such a machine has only one state at a time,
- and the current state (Current State) refers to its state at any given time.
- Such a machine can change from one state to another in response to some event (Event),
- which is called a transition (Transition).
A particular finite automaton is defined by the transition states possible from the current state and the set of conditions that trigger those transitions.