Welcome to Formal Methods in Industry

The vast majority of basic research in formal methods takes place in halls of academia, yet the enormous amounts of applied use of formal methods quietly takes place in companies worldwide. So, while we will not avoid talking about research results and academic work, the main focus of this column is the evolution of the impact of formal methods in industry. That impact has grown from a rarely used niche (and once overhyped), requiring necessarily deep specialized knowledge, to a widely used, under-the-covers, set of tools and techniques usable by normal employees, which save companies millions and protect nationally critical infrastructure and life and limb.