# Language-integrated provenance by trace analysis

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel self-tracing transformation and trace analysis method that enables flexible, language-integrated provenance tracking within a core language extension for Links, enhancing query result explainability.

## Contribution

It presents a new self-tracing transformation and trace analysis framework integrated into LinksT, allowing customizable provenance definitions as user code.

## Key findings

- Demonstrates the design and implementation of the approach.
- Shows examples of provenance capabilities.
- Outlines key correctness properties.

## Abstract

Language-integrated provenance builds on language-integrated query techniques to make provenance information explaining query results readily available to programmers. In previous work we have explored language-integrated approaches to provenance in Links and Haskell. However, implementing a new form of provenance in a language-integrated way is still a major challenge. We propose a self-tracing transformation and trace analysis features that, together with existing techniques for type-directed generic programming, make it possible to define different forms of provenance as user code. We present our design as an extension to a core language for Links called LinksT, give examples showing its capabilities, and outline its metatheory and key correctness properties.