This book is an introduction to finite model theory which stresses the computer science origins of the area. In addition to presenting the main techniques for analyzing logics over finite models, the book deals extensively with applications in databases, complexity theory, and formal languages, as well as other branches of computer science. It covers Ehrenfeucht-Fra??ss?? games, locality-based techniques, complexity analysis of logics, including the basics of descriptive complexity, second-order logic and its fragments, connections with finite automata, fixed point logics, finite variable logics, zero-one laws, and embedded finite models, and gives a brief tour of recently discovered applications of finite model theory. This book can be used both as an introduction to the subject, suitable for a one- or two-semester graduate course, or as reference for researchers who apply techniques from logic in computer science.

The author has been with the department of computer science at the University of Toronto since 2000. Prior to that, he was a researcher at Bell Laboratories, and he spent two years visiting INRIA in France. His research interests are in the areas of database theory and applications of logic in computer science.He is coauthor/editor of:Constraint DatabasesKuper, G., Libkin, L., Paredaens, J. (Eds.), 12.04.2000, ISBN 3-540-66151-4Finite-Model Theory and Its ApplicationsGr+ñdel, E., Kolaitis, P.G. (et al.), 07.2004, ISBN 3-540-00428-9Semantics in DatabasesThalheim, B., Libkin, L. (Eds.), Vol. 1358, 25.02.1998, ISBN 3-540-64199-8