Finite State Machine (FSM)
Definition
A finite state machine is an abstract computational model with a finite number of states and rules for transitioning between them based on inputs.
Formally, an FSM is usually described by a 4-tuple :
- : a finite set of states
- : a finite Alphabet
- : a transition function or relation
- : the starting state
Human Definition
An FSM simply consists of some states and basic rules for moving from one state to another. It can be deterministic or nondeterministic and does not need an output.