Applicative bisimilarity is a coinductive characterisation of observational equivalence in call-by-name lambda-calculus, introduced by Abramsky (1990). Howe (1996) gave a direct proof that it is a congruence, and generalised the result to all languages complying with a suitable format. We propose a categorical framework for specifying operational semantics, in which we prove that (an abstract analogue of) applicative bisimilarity is automatically a congruence. Example instances include standard applicative bisimilarity in call-by-name, call-by-value, and call-by-name non-deterministic $\lambda$-calculus, and more generally all languages complying with a variant of Howe's format.

@article{paperbot1651,
  title = {A categorical framework for congruence of applicative bisimilarity in higher-order languages},
  author = {Tom Hirschowitz and Ambroise Lafont},
  journal = {Logical Methods in Computer Science},
  volume = {Volume 18, Issue 3},
  year = {2022},
  doi = {10.46298/lmcs-18(3:37)2022}
}