High-level debugging assistance via optimizing compiler technology (Extended abstract)

© 1983 ACM. A primary benefit of most software tools is either the prevention or the detection of human error in the development process. Languages, such as Pascal and Ada, have been designed with features such as strong typing to increase the amount of error detection that can be done by the compiler. Syntax directed editors [II] also decrease the opportunity for the introduction of human error. Our paper describes some of the debugging assistance ~hich can be provided to a user during the transformation of a program by an optimizing compiler. Our premise is that the additional information obtained during optimization could warrant the sole use of optimizing compilers during software development. The idea behind static or transformational analysis is that bug symptoms can be detected via implicit assertions due to language semantics (e.g., range or domain assertions in Pascal, asserting that all referenced objects are defined) and explicit assertions as specified by the programmer oz environment