Principles of Program Analysis

by Flemming Nielson, Hanne R. Nielson, Chris Hankin

Program analysis concerns static techniques for computing reliable approximate information about the dynamic behaviour of programs. Applications include compilers (for code improvement), software validation (for detecting errors in algorithms or breaches of security) and transformations between data representation (for solving problems such as the Y2K problem). This book is unique in giving an overview of the four major approaches to program data flow analysis, constraint based analysis, abstract interpretation, and type and effect systems. The presentation demonstrates the extensive similarities between the approaches; this will aid the reader in choosing the right approach and in enhancing it with insights from the other approaches. The book covers basic semantic properties as well as more advanced algorithmic techniques. The book is aimed at M.Sc. and Ph.D. students but will be valuable also for experienced researchers and professionals.

Genres: Computer Science, Computation, Programming Languages

473 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 1999

Reviews

[Mikael Svahnberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is dense. Really dense, overly dense, and a lot could have been explained better. Uses the words 'clearly' 'obviously' 'naturally follows' on more than numerous occasions to cover up huge logical leaps. Can't argue with the theories or the completeness of the book, though, even if it was not really what I was looking for...

[Nuno Gaspar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Cool. Probably the best book about static analysis

[Scott Wisniewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a HARD read. Really hard.

It will blow your mind though.

The Knaster-Tarski least fixed point theorem is a beautiful piece of mathematics.

Seeing what it can enable in programing languages is life changing.