A study of set-sharing analysis via cliques

TL;DR

This paper introduces a clique-set based approach for scalable set-sharing analysis in logic programs, improving efficiency and handling larger programs with limited precision loss.

Contribution

It extends clique-set representation from pair-sharing to set-sharing analysis, enabling more scalable and memory-efficient analysis within a top-down framework.

Findings

Limited precision loss in set-sharing inference

Significant efficiency gains over classical methods

Ability to analyze larger programs exceeding memory limits

Abstract

We study the problem of efficient, scalable set-sharing analysis of logic programs. We use the idea of representing sharing information as a pair of abstract substitutions, one of which is a worst-case sharing representation called a clique set, which was previously proposed for the case of inferring pair-sharing. We use the clique-set representation for (1) inferring actual set-sharing information, and (2) analysis within a top-down framework. In particular, we define the abstract functions required by standard top-down analyses, both for sharing alone and also for the case of including freeness in addition to sharing. Our experimental evaluation supports the conclusion that, for inferring set-sharing, as it was the case for inferring pair-sharing, precision losses are limited, while useful efficiency gains are obtained. At the limit, the clique-set representation allowed analyzing some programs that exceeded memory capacity using classical sharing representations.