Toward a theory of program repair

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2023

Abstract

To repair a program does not mean to make it (absolutely) correct; it only means to make it more-correct than it was originally. This is not a mundane academic distinction: given that programs typically have about a dozen faults per KLOC, it is important for program repair methods and tools to be designed in such a way that they map an incorrect program into a more-correct, albeit still potentially incorrect, program. Yet in the absence of a concept of relative correctness, many program repair methods and tools resort to approximations of absolute correctness; since these methods and tools are often validated against programs with a single fault, making them absolutely correct is indistinguishable from making them more-correct; this has contributed to conceal/obscure the absence of (and the need for) relative correctness. In this paper, we propose a theory of program repair based on a concept of relative correctness. We aspire to encourage researchers in program repair to explicitly specify what concept of relative correctness their method or tool is based upon; and to validate their method or tool by proving that it does enhance relative correctness, as defined.

Identifier

85150951064 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Acta Informatica

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00236-023-00438-4

e-ISSN

14320525

ISSN

00015903

First Page

209

Last Page

255

Issue

3

Volume

60

Grant

DGE1565478

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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