finite automata

A finite automaton is a simple computational model used to recognize patterns or determine if a sequence of symbols belongs to a specific set. It consists of states (like steps or conditions), a starting point, and rules for moving between states based on input symbols. When processing a string, the automaton follows these rules until it reaches a final state or cannot continue. If it ends in an accepting state, the input is accepted; otherwise, it’s rejected. Finite automata are foundational in computer science for designing compilers, text searching, and understanding language patterns.