Useful previous knowledge: Programming, Logic

Software analyses extract facts about programs from source code. Such facts can be employed by compilers to optimize programs during compilation, but can also be used to verify correctness of programs. The students get to know different analysis methods, specify such techniques themselves and implement them.
Professional competences
The students:

• get to know data flow analysis and specify them
• name the components of data flow systems
• know when to apply widening operators in an analysis
• are able to develop abstract domains and operators for abstract interpretation
• know predicate abstraction and the principle of counterexample-guided abstraction refinement
• know when and how to apply SSA forms
• are able to judge the precision and scalability of points-to analyses

Methodological competences
The students:

• are able to formally define analyses
• are able to prove properties of analyses
• are able to implement analysis

Social competences
The students:

• work on tasks in groups and discuss solutions
• implement analyses in groups.

Self-competences
The students:

• organize their own work for the course

• Data flow analyses
• Abstract interpretation
• Predicate abstraction, CEGAR
• SSA forms
• Slicing
• Points-to analysis
• Symbolic execution

• Nielson, Nielson, Hankin: Principles of Program Analysis, Springer, 2004.

 

Weekly homework assignments, lab assignments in a block, oral examination at the end

Written or oral Exam