Extensible intraprocedural flow analysis at the abstract syntax tree level.

By Emma Soderberg et al.

Abstract: In this paper, authors proposed an approach, which contains various flow analysis techniques including data flow, and control flow, at the abstract syntax tree level. The experimental results show that this approach provides concise analysis results for Java.

Useful Expressions: In this paper, following words and expressions are extracted for further reuse purpose:

1. Declarative. 陈述的 e.g. Our approach is declarative, making use of reference attribute grammars augmented with circular attributes and collection attributes.
2. Compact. 使紧密，压缩 e.g. Advantages include compact specification and modular support for language extensions, while giving sufficient performance for practical use.
3. Reify. 实现，具体化 e.g. Higher-order attributes [24] are used for reifying entry and exit nodes in the control-flow graph as objects in the AST.

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Introduction:

1. This approach rely on a number of extensions to Knuth‘s original attribute grammars:
   1. Reference attribute: allow the control-flow edges to be represented as references between nodes in AST.
   2. Higher-order attribute: reifying entry and exit nodes in the control-flow graph as objects in the AST.

      *How to implement entry and exit nodes? Any limitations? Strength and weakness?