Rocq

Overview

Rocq is a proof assistant for formal mathematics and software specifications. It suits researchers, educators and developers willing to work directly with formal proofs; its small proof-checking kernel and program-extraction options make it a serious choice for machine-checked work.

Users express definitions and proofs in Gallina, a language grounded in the Calculus of Inductive Constructions. Rocq's relatively small certification kernel checks proofs, while the project describes its kernel and OCaml implementation as providing strong guarantees for mechanised artifacts. That assurance comes with a specialist workflow: Rocq is a self-hosted tool, not a hosted service.

Key features

• Proof development: Interactive methods, decision and semi-decision algorithms, and a tactic language let users build and define proof methods.
• Certified program extraction: Rocq can extract programs to OCaml, Haskell or Scheme. This makes it useful when a project needs implementations derived from formally developed work, not only a proof artifact.
• External connections: Connections to computer algebra systems and other theorem provers can extend a workflow beyond Rocq itself.
• Editor support: The official VsRocq extension supports Visual Studio Code. Other integrations include Rocq LSP, VsCoq Legacy, Proof General, Coqtail and RocqIDE, giving users a choice of editing environments.
• Community channels: Zulip, Discourse and GitHub issue reporting provide routes for questions, discussion, bug reports and feature requests.

Pricing

Rocq Prover costs free. The free plan includes an interactive theorem prover and dependently typed programming language, distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public Licence Version 2.1 (LGPL). There is no free trial because the product is free, and no paid tier or seat-based limit is described. It is a strong fit for individual users, research groups and teaching; the trade-off is that users manage installation and their own environment rather than receiving a hosted service.

Platforms

The Rocq Platform provides the core prover alongside libraries and plugins, with installation scripts for macOS, Windows and many Linux distributions. Precompiled installers are available for macOS and Windows; Linux users must use scripts that install Rocq and packages from sources, since there is no Rocq Platform binary installer for Linux. That makes Linux support broad but less convenient for users who expect a ready-made installer.

Rocq is also available as a Docker image. The platform's aim is to be operating-system independent, dependable and comprehensive, but the Linux installation route is the clearest practical caveat.

Who it's for

Rocq is best suited to people in mathematics, computer science and related fields who need machine-checked proofs, formal specifications or certified program extraction. The Rocq Platform is intended for both development and teaching. It is less appropriate for readers seeking a turnkey hosted verification service or a tool they can use without engaging with formal proof construction.

Pros and cons

• Pro: A relatively small certification kernel checks proofs, supporting a focused verification story for formal artifacts.
• Pro: Proof methods, tactics and algorithms support different approaches to constructing proofs.
• Pro: Extraction to OCaml, Haskell and Scheme bridges formal development and executable programs.
• Pro: Free distribution under the LGPL makes the prover accessible for development and teaching.
• Con: Linux users lack a binary Platform installer and must install from sources through scripts.
• Con: Rocq is self-hosted, so users need to handle setup and run the tooling in their own environment.

Alternatives

Formal Verification Tools is a useful directory for comparing options across the category.

• Z3 is another free option, with Android and API platforms as well as desktop, web and self-hosted availability; choose it when those platforms better match your workflow.
• ACL2 is a free alternative for users looking for another theorem-proving tool supported on Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosted setups.
• PVS offers free noncommercial use and a separate commercial plan with custom pricing; it may fit users whose work centers on PVS and whose licensing needs match those terms.
• Frama-C is a free alternative for Linux, macOS and Windows, co-developed by teams at CEA LIST, Inria and academic partners.
• Isabelle is free and available for Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosted use; consider it when its BSD-style code-base licensing is a better fit.
• SPIN is free, with source and executables under the BSD 3-Clause license, for users who prefer that licensing and platform mix.
• UPPAAL has a free academic license for eligible non-commercial users at degree-granting institutions; it may suit qualifying academic work.
• HOL Light is another free option across web, Windows, macOS and Linux.

Verdict

Choose Rocq if you need a free, self-hosted environment for machine-checked mathematical proofs, formal specifications or certified program extraction, and are prepared to work in a formal proof workflow. Its small checking kernel and range of proof methods are compelling reasons to adopt it; look elsewhere if you need a hosted service or, on Linux, a binary installer.