ITR: Static and Dynamic Tools for Software Design

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal Number: 0086160 Title: Static and Dynamic Tools for Software Design PIs: Monica Lam and Dawson Engler This project aims to develop a new programming methodology whereby the programmer, the compiler and the runtime system all cooperate in maintaining the integrity of a software program. The proposed system allows programmers to capture application-level semantics and invariants of interest at a high abstract level. Whereas specific tools have been developed by compiler writers to detect specific common programming errors, this system will allow programmers to formulate the correctness property or safety criterion that they wish to check in their programs. It places the full power of sophisticated static and dynamic analyses in programmers' hands, allowing them to analyze and manipulate the program at ease. Success of this reserach will have a significant impact on improving software reliability. Expected results of this research include (1) a high-level interface with which the programmers communicate information to the system, (2) technology for creating new application-specific program analysis, (3) deep program analysis techniques such as pointer alias analysis and path-sensitive analysis to improve the precision of the static checker, and (4) new ways to combine static and dynamic analysis to locate violations of the stated properties in the code. A prototype system will be developed and tested on general-purpose codes such as open-source operating systems, compilers and browsers as well as embedded systems such as routers and telephone switches.