Query evaluation under the well-founded semantics
Weidong Chen, David Scott Warren · 1993
SLD resolution with negation as finite failure (or SLDNF) reflects the procedural interpretation of Horn-clause predicate logic as a programming language and forms the computational basis for prolog systems. Despite its advantages in memory management, SLDNF is often not appropriate for query evaluation for three reasons; a) it may not terminate due to infinite positive recursion; b) it may not terminate due to infinite recursion through negation; and c) it may repeatedly evaluate the same clause body literal, leading to unacceptable performance.