We don't represent automata as a code, that leads to compiler errors etc., we represent them as graphs, just as data. Inside the code we use: state --> int set

We don't represent automata as a code, that leads to compiler errors etc., we represent them as graphs, just as data. Inside the code we use: state --> int set of states --> sorted / unique'd array of int's input symbol --> int output symbol --> int transition function is abstracted out behind an interface and implemented differently based on whether automaton is read-only or changeable and based on the state etc.