deterministic finite automaton (DFA)

A deterministic finite automaton (DFA) is a mathematical model used to recognize patterns or classify sequences of symbols, like words or strings. It has a finite number of states, and its behavior is fully determined by the current state and the next input symbol. When it reads each symbol, it transitions to a new state based on predetermined rules. If, after processing the entire sequence, it ends in an "accept" state, the DFA recognizes or accepts that pattern; otherwise, it rejects it. DFAs are fundamental in computer science for designing compilers, text search algorithms, and verifying systems.