Abstract:This paper introduces Micro-Dalvik, a formalized Dalvik-like VM model to exhibit core features of the register-based architecture. This formal specification describes the instruction set and runtime state, and the runtime behaviors of the instructions as state transitions based on big-step operational semantics. The Micro-Dalvik VM instruction set is more abstract than comparable Dalvik VM to attain clarity of its semantics, but bears no further simplification of the meaning of instructions. Some properties of Micro-Dalvik VM semantics are stated based on this formal specification and sketch of the proofs is provided. This formalization is implemented in the theorem proof assistant Isabelle/HOL.