Software Verification And Analysis: An Integrated, Hands-On Approach

by Janusz Laski, William Stanley

Emphasis is given to the integration of the most important aspects of software verification ? program proving, static analysis and testing, all in one book Provides tool support for each of the verification techniques Offers readers the ability to test their own static analysis ideas using STAD 4.0 Presents novel and not generally known data testing techniques supported by the testing tool Focuses on the practical applications This book advocates the integrated and tool supported use of all available verification methods to improve software correctness. The following major software verification techniques and their supporting tools, based on sound mathematical models, are discussed: Correctness by construction, using the Vienna Development Method-Specification Language (VDM-SL) and its supporting CSK's Toolbox. Static program analysis supported by the PRAXIS' SPARK toolset and SofTools' System for Testing And Debugging (STAD 4.0). Program proving supported by SPARK. Dynamic program analysis supported by STAD. VDM-SL Toolbox and SPARK illustrate, respectively, the correctness by construction and program proving paradigms. The author demonstrates that while both methods are powerful, errors are inevitable and detecting these may be more difficult than in the case of an informally developed program. Consequently, error detection must be an integral part of the entire life cycle of a programming project. Black-Box (specification based) and Structural (code based) testing are covered and supported by STAD (including 5 testing criteria). STAD also features a quite powerful descriptive and proscriptive static analysis. Software engineers, students and computer scientists will find that the book provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of software verification issues. STAD's outputs allow the user to implement and test their own ideas. The most recent version of STAD can be downloaded from http://www.stadtools.com.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Introduces different approaches to software verification in almost layman terms. The problem is the way at least Hoare Logic and Operational semantics is introduced is too simplified to be of much use and the other topics static analysis and dynamic analysis I have some knowledge of already. I probably should have checked more carefully before buying this book.