exact

Summary

If your goal is P then exact h will close the goal if h : P has type P.

Examples

  1. If the local context is

h : P
 P

then the tactic exact h will close the goal.

  1. exact works up to definitional equality. So for example, if the local context is

h : ¬ P
 P  false

then exact h will work, because the type of h is definitionally equal to the goal.

Further notes

A common mistake amongst beginners is trying exact P to close a goal of type P. The goal is a type, but the exact tactic takes a term of that type, not the type itself. Remember : P is the statement of the problem. To solve the goal you need to supply the proof.