Using LLMs to Generate TLA+ Formal Specifications: A Practical Introduction

Summary

This article introduces TLA+ (Temporal Logic of Actions), a formal specification language for system design, and argues that modern LLMs have made it more accessible by handling the syntax. The author explains that while LLMs can generate TLA+ code, engineers still need to understand temporal logic and define what correctness means for their systems. The article covers temporal logic basics, uses a classic bean puzzle as a toy example, and provides a prompt example for using Claude to generate TLA+ specifications.