High-level static analysis for generic libraries

• Authors: Sibylle Schupp;Douglas Gregor
• Venue: High-level static analysis for generic libraries
• Year: 2004

Software developers are increasingly reliant on well-tested, reusable software libraries that can rapidly decrease development time by eliminating the need to reimplement standard algorithms and data structures. Generic software libraries in particular, such as the C++ Standard Template Library (STL), provide efficient, reusable solutions that can be customized for nearly any computing environment. such as subroutines and classes, which simplify the task of a software developer. static analysis techniques to produce poor, imprecise results. In contrast, enabling library-level optimization and verification. This thesis introduces a higher-level static analysis that employs executable specifications of software libraries to reduce the complexities of library analysis and improve analysis precision. Moreover, our analysis exploits object-oriented and pointers, are effectively handled with symbolic analysis methods, even in program loops with nontraditional induction variables. This thesis also introduces an organization methodology for extensible specifications for generic software libraries based on algorithm concepts. This methodology minimizes the effort required to introduce new algorithms, data structures, and semantic properties into generic library specifications. The methodologies and analyses presented are implemented in the STLlint static checker. STLlint is able to detect errors in the use of the Standard Template Library within C++ user programs, including semantic checks on the achieves a low false positive rate and is capable of diagnosing common STL usage errors.