Mathematics and Logic · Software and Coding · Systems and Thinking
State Machines and Transitions
A state machine represents selected behavior through named states and allowed transitions. A state identifies the active configuration within the chosen model; a transition records how an event, condition, or rule can move that configuration to another state or an explicit failure. The model becomes inspectable when its inputs, transition rules, order, and outputs are declared.
Sources & review
Evidence and review
How Atlas supports this record.
Atlas uses original Kinesema wording. These public sources support narrow parts of the record; they are not endorsements or proof of claims outside the roles shown below.
- Review
- Human reviewed
- AI assistance
- Yes—human reviewed
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-23
State Chart XML (SCXML): State Machine Notation for Control Abstraction
World Wide Web Consortium
- Used here for
- One concrete state-machine execution model with active-state configurations, transitions, ordered processing, and deterministic behavior under its declared conditions.
- Source use
- Paraphrased from source
- Source type
- W3C Recommendation
This is a concise first-release record, not a complete course. Examples, terminology, and reviewed connections can grow through later public projections.
Follow the structure
Connected concepts
These are reviewed Atlas relationships, not suggestions inferred from page order or visual proximity. Open a boundary only when you want the extra detail.
Connected from
Deterministic and Probabilistic Systems
A state-machine contract can define deterministic transition selection under stated conditions, while other systems may attach probabilities to states, events, or possible transitions.
Connection boundary
This relationship does not make every state machine deterministic or define one universal probabilistic state model.
Connected from
Intermediate Representations
An intermediate representation can carry the named states, events, constraints, or instructions that a later stateful stage uses to evaluate allowed transitions.
Connection boundary
Storing state-related fields does not create an executable state machine or prove that the transition model is complete or correct.
Connects to
Kinematics and Motion
A motion-planning system can use named states and transitions to organize phases, constraints, timing, or explicit failures while keeping the geometric motion representation separate.
Connection boundary
A transition sequence does not supply missing spatial values, prove smooth or feasible movement, or establish linguistic, cultural, or product correctness.