  The minimization problem for propositional formulas is an important
optimization problem in the second level of the polynomial hierarchy. In
general, the problem is Sigma-2-complete under Turing reductions, but
restricted versions are tractable. We study the complexity of minimization for
formulas in two established frameworks for restricted propositional logic: The
Post framework allowing arbitrarily nested formulas over a set of Boolean
connectors, and the constraint setting, allowing generalizations of CNF
formulas. In the Post case, we obtain a dichotomy result: Minimization is
solvable in polynomial time or coNP-hard. This result also applies to Boolean
circuits. For CNF formulas, we obtain new minimization algorithms for a large
class of formulas, and give strong evidence that we have covered all
polynomial-time cases.
