Title
Field Constraint Analysis
Abstract
We introduce \emph{field constraint analysis}, a new technique for verifying data structure invariants. A field constraint for a field is a formula specifying a set of objects to which the field can point. Field constraints enable the application of decidable logics to data structures which were originally beyond the scope of these logics, by verifying the backbone of the data structure and then verifying constraints on fields that cross-cut the backbone in arbitrary ways. Previously, such cross-cutting fields could only be verified when they were uniquely determined by the backbone, which significantly limits the range of analyzable data structures. Field constraint analysis permits \emph{non-deterministic} field constraints on cross-cutting fields, which allows the verificiation of invariants for data structures such as skip lists. Non-deterministic field constraints also enable the verification of invariants between data structures, yielding an expressive generalization of static type declarations. The generality of our field constraints requires new techniques. We present one such technique and prove its soundness. We have implemented this technique as part of a symbolic shape analysis deployed in the context of the Hob system for verifying data structure consistency. Using this implementation we were able to verify data structures that were previously beyond the reach of similar techniques.
Year
DOI
Venue
2006
10.1007/11609773_11
Verification, Model Checking and Abstract Interpretation
Keywords
Field
DocType
verifying data structure invariants,cross-cutting field,field constraint,verifying constraint,analyzable data structure,verifying data structure consistency,non-deterministic field constraint,field constraint analysis,data structure,new technique,shape analysis,skip list
Discrete mathematics,Data structure,Model checking,Predicate abstraction,Abstract interpretation,Computer science,Skip list,Algorithm,Decidability,Theoretical computer science,Symbolic data analysis,Soundness
Conference
Volume
ISSN
ISBN
3855
0302-9743
3-540-31139-4
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
26
1.08
24
Authors
7
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Thomas Wies151528.26
Viktor Kuncak2112970.57
Patrick Lam363638.73
Andreas Podelski42760197.87
Martin C. Rinard54739277.55
e allen emerson676831183.13
Kedar S. Namjoshi794850.41