NDLI: Assertion-based slicing and slice graphs

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Barros, José Bernardo Cruz, Daniela Henriques, Pedro Rangel Pinto, Jorge Sousa
Copyright Year	2011
Abstract	This paper revisits the idea of slicing programs based on their axiomatic semantics, rather than using criteria based on control/data dependencies. We show how the forward propagation of preconditions and the backward propagation of postconditions can be combined in a new slicing algorithm that is more precise than the existing specification-based algorithms. The algorithm is based on (a) a precise test for removable statements, and (b) the construction of a slice graph, a program control flow graph extended with semantic labels and additional edges that “short-circuit” removable commands. It improves on previous approaches in two aspects: it does not fail to identify removable commands; and it produces the smallest possible slice that can be obtained (in a sense that will be made precise). Iteration is handled through the use of loop invariants and variants to ensure termination. The paper also discusses in detail applications of these forms of slicing, including the elimination of (conditionally) unreachable and dead code, and compares them to other related notions.
Starting Page	217
Ending Page	248
Page Count	32
File Format	PDF
ISSN	09345043
Journal	Formal Aspects of Computing
Volume Number	24
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	1433299X
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2011-09-23
Publisher Place	London
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Program slicing Program analysis Verification conditions Control flow graphs Computational Mathematics and Numerical Analysis Math Applications in Computer Science Theory of Computation
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Theoretical Computer Science Software

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