Specification, verification and enforcement of interface contracts with data

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An "interface contract" is a formal definition of what constitutes a valid interaction with a particular system over time. For example, a web browser running an application such as Facebook sends commands to the Facebook server and processes its responses to update its display. Similar to a real-world contract between two people, the interface contract clearly defines how the browser and the server are expected to converse with each other: which commands can be sent, what responses are expected, and even what values can be put into the various commands. Not following the contract by either side can result in the other side being thrown into an unexpected state. Similarly, the testing of spacecraft systems for the future Martian rovers involves the execution of thousands of commands and responses. These sequences of events are then searched for violations of a "contract" that hints at component malfunction.