A Generic Framework for the Analysis and Specialization of Logic Programs

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fully described, generic algorithm that efficiently combines abstract interpretation and partial deduction to improve logic program analysis and specialization, surpassing individual techniques in precision.

Contribution

It presents the first comprehensive algorithm integrating abstract interpretation and partial deduction, adaptable to various control strategies and abstract domains.

Findings

Achieves more precise analysis results than individual techniques.

Supports different control strategies and abstract domains.

Implemented as a key component of the CiaoPP system.

Abstract

The relationship between abstract interpretation and partial deduction has received considerable attention and (partial) integrations have been proposed starting from both the partial deduction and abstract interpretation perspectives. In this work we present what we argue is the first fully described generic algorithm for efficient and precise integration of abstract interpretation and partial deduction. Taking as starting point state-of-the-art algorithms for context-sensitive, polyvariant abstract interpretation and (abstract) partial deduction, we present an algorithm which combines the best of both worlds. Key ingredients include the accurate success propagation inherent to abstract interpretation and the powerful program transformations achievable by partial deduction. In our algorithm, the calls which appear in the analysis graph are not analyzed w.r.t. the original definition of the procedure but w.r.t. specialized definitions of these procedures. Such specialized definitions are obtained by applying both unfolding and abstract executability. Our framework is parametric w.r.t. different control strategies and abstract domains. Different combinations of such parameters correspond to existing algorithms for program analysis and specialization. Simultaneously, our approach opens the door to the efficient computation of strictly more precise results than those achievable by each of the individual techniques. The algorithm is now one of the key components of the CiaoPP analysis and specialization system.