Flow logics: a multi-paradigmatic approach to static analysis

Abstract. Flow logic is an approach to static analysis that separates the specification of when an analysis estimate is acceptable for a program from the actual computation of the analysis information. It allows one not only to combine a variety of programming paradigms but also to link up with state-of-the-art developments in classical approaches to static analysis, in particular data flow analysis, constraint-based analysis and abstract interpretation. This paper gives a tutorial on flow logic and explains the underlying methodology; the multi-paradigmatic approach is illustrated by a number of examples including functional, imperative, object-oriented and concurrent constructs.