Section: Application Domains

Introduction

Constraint programming deals with the resolution of decision problems by means of rational, logical and computational techniques. Above all, constraint programming is founded on a clear distinction between, on the one hand the description of the constraints intervening in a problem, and on the other hand the techniques used for the resolution. The ability of constraint programming to handle in a flexible way heterogeneous constraints has raised the commercial interest for this paradigm in the early nighties. Among his fields of predilection, one finds traditional applications such as computer aided decision-making, scheduling, planning, placement, logistics or finance, as well as applications such as electronic circuits design (simulation, checking and test), DNA sequencing and phylogeny in biology, configuration of manufacturing products or web sites, formal verification of code.