In automata theory and sequential logic, a state-transition table is a table showing what state (or states in the case of a nondeterministic finite automaton) a finite-state machine will move to, based on the current state and other inputs. It is essentially a truth table in which the inputs include the current state along with other inputs, and the outputs include the next state along with other outputs.

A state-transition table is one of many ways to specify a finite-state machine. Other ways include a state diagram.

State-transition tables are sometimes one-dimensional tables, also called characteristic tables. They are much more like truth tables than their two-dimensional form. The single dimension indicates inputs, current states, next states and (optionally) outputs associated with the state transitions.

State-transition tables are typically two-dimensional tables. There are two common ways for arranging them.

In the first way, one of the dimensions indicates current states, while the other indicates inputs. The row/column intersections indicate next states and (optionally) outputs associated with the state transitions.

In the second way, one of the dimensions indicates current states, while the other indicates next states. The row/column intersections indicate inputs and (optionally) outputs associated with the state transitions.

Simultaneous transitions in multiple finite-state machines can be shown in what is effectively an n-dimensional state-transition table in which pairs of rows map (sets of) current states to next states. This is an alternative to representing communication between separate, interdependent finite-state machines.

At the other extreme, separate tables have been used for each of the transitions within a single finite-state machine: "AND/OR tables" are similar to incomplete decision tables in which the decision for the rules which are present is implicitly the activation of the associated transition.