Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1

Sebastian Erdweg; Vlad Vergu; Mira Mezini; Eelco Visser

doi:10.1145/2584469.2584474

Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1

Sebastian Erdweg, Vlad Vergu, Mira Mezini, Eelco Visser

Programming Languages

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Program generators and transformations are hard to implement correctly, because the implementation needs to generically describe how to construct programs, for example, using templates or rewrite rules. We apply dynamic analysis to program generators in order to support developers in finding bugs and identifying the source of the bug. Our analysis focuses on syntactic language constraints and checks that generated programs are syntactically well-formed. To retain a language's grammar as the unique specification of the language's syntax, we devised mechanisms to derive the analysis from the grammar. Moreover, we designed a run-time system to support the modular activation/deactivation of the analysis, so that generators do not require adaption. We have implemented the analysis for the Stratego term-rewriting language and applied it in case studies based on Spoofax and SugarJ.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	MODULARITY'14
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the companion publication of the 13th International Conference on Modularity
Place of Publication	New York
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Pages	17-20
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Print)	978-1-4503-2773-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/2584469.2584474
Publication status	Published - 2014
Event	13th International Conference on Modularity - Lugano, Switzerland Duration: 22 Apr 2014 → 26 Apr 2014 Conference number: 13

Conference

Conference	13th International Conference on Modularity
Abbreviated title	Modularity 2014
Country/Territory	Switzerland
City	Lugano
Period	22/04/14 → 26/04/14

Keywords

Abstract syntax tree
Dynamic analysis
Generative programming
Program transformation
Spoofax
SugarJ
Typesmart constructors
Well-formedness checks

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10.1145/2584469.2584474

Cite this

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title = "Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1",

abstract = "Program generators and transformations are hard to implement correctly, because the implementation needs to generically describe how to construct programs, for example, using templates or rewrite rules. We apply dynamic analysis to program generators in order to support developers in finding bugs and identifying the source of the bug. Our analysis focuses on syntactic language constraints and checks that generated programs are syntactically well-formed. To retain a language's grammar as the unique specification of the language's syntax, we devised mechanisms to derive the analysis from the grammar. Moreover, we designed a run-time system to support the modular activation/deactivation of the analysis, so that generators do not require adaption. We have implemented the analysis for the Stratego term-rewriting language and applied it in case studies based on Spoofax and SugarJ. ",

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author = "Sebastian Erdweg and Vlad Vergu and Mira Mezini and Eelco Visser",

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note = "13th International Conference on Modularity, Modularity 2014 ; Conference date: 22-04-2014 Through 26-04-2014",

}

Erdweg, S, Vergu, V, Mezini, M & Visser, E 2014, Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1. in MODULARITY'14: Proceedings of the companion publication of the 13th International Conference on Modularity. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), New York, pp. 17-20, 13th International Conference on Modularity, Lugano, Switzerland, 22/04/14. https://doi.org/10.1145/2584469.2584474

Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1. / Erdweg, Sebastian; Vergu, Vlad; Mezini, Mira et al.
MODULARITY'14: Proceedings of the companion publication of the 13th International Conference on Modularity. New York: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2014. p. 17-20.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volume › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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T1 - Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1

AU - Erdweg, Sebastian

AU - Vergu, Vlad

AU - Mezini, Mira

AU - Visser, Eelco

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PY - 2014

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N2 - Program generators and transformations are hard to implement correctly, because the implementation needs to generically describe how to construct programs, for example, using templates or rewrite rules. We apply dynamic analysis to program generators in order to support developers in finding bugs and identifying the source of the bug. Our analysis focuses on syntactic language constraints and checks that generated programs are syntactically well-formed. To retain a language's grammar as the unique specification of the language's syntax, we devised mechanisms to derive the analysis from the grammar. Moreover, we designed a run-time system to support the modular activation/deactivation of the analysis, so that generators do not require adaption. We have implemented the analysis for the Stratego term-rewriting language and applied it in case studies based on Spoofax and SugarJ.

AB - Program generators and transformations are hard to implement correctly, because the implementation needs to generically describe how to construct programs, for example, using templates or rewrite rules. We apply dynamic analysis to program generators in order to support developers in finding bugs and identifying the source of the bug. Our analysis focuses on syntactic language constraints and checks that generated programs are syntactically well-formed. To retain a language's grammar as the unique specification of the language's syntax, we devised mechanisms to derive the analysis from the grammar. Moreover, we designed a run-time system to support the modular activation/deactivation of the analysis, so that generators do not require adaption. We have implemented the analysis for the Stratego term-rewriting language and applied it in case studies based on Spoofax and SugarJ.

KW - Abstract syntax tree

KW - Dynamic analysis

KW - Generative programming

KW - Program transformation

KW - Spoofax

KW - SugarJ

KW - Typesmart constructors

KW - Well-formedness checks

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ER -

Finding Bugs in Program Generators by Dynamic Analysis of Syntactic Language Constraints1

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Conference

Keywords

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