InvAASTCluster: On Applying Invariant-Based Program Clustering to Introductory Programming Assignments

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21730%2F25%3A00387602" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21730/25:00387602 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112481" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112481</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112481" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.jss.2025.112481</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

InvAASTCluster: On Applying Invariant-Based Program Clustering to Introductory Programming Assignments

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Due to the vast number of students enrolled in programming courses, there has been an increasing number of automated program repair techniques focused on introductory programming assignments (IPAs). Typically, such techniques use program clustering to take advantage of previous correct student implementations to repair a new incorrect submission. These repair techniques use clustering methods since analyzing all available correct submissions to repair a program is not feasible. However, conventional clustering methods rely on program representations based on features such as abstract syntax trees (ASTs), syntax, control flow, and data flow. This paper proposes InvAASTCluster, a novel approach for program clustering that uses dynamically generated program invariants to cluster semantically equivalent IPAs. InvAASTCluster’s program representation uses a combination of the program’s semantics, through its invariants, and its structure through its anonymized abstract syntax tree (AASTs). Invariants denote conditions that must remain true during program execution, while AASTs are ASTs devoid of variable and function names, retaining only their types. Our experiments show that the proposed program representation outperforms syntax-based representations when clustering a set of correct IPAs. Furthermore, we integrate InvAASTCluster into a state-of-the-art clustering-based program repair tool. Our results show that InvAASTCluster advances the current state-of-the-art when used by clustering-based repair tools by repairing around 13% more students’ programs, in a shorter amount of time.

Název v anglickém jazyce

InvAASTCluster: On Applying Invariant-Based Program Clustering to Introductory Programming Assignments

Popis výsledku anglicky

Due to the vast number of students enrolled in programming courses, there has been an increasing number of automated program repair techniques focused on introductory programming assignments (IPAs). Typically, such techniques use program clustering to take advantage of previous correct student implementations to repair a new incorrect submission. These repair techniques use clustering methods since analyzing all available correct submissions to repair a program is not feasible. However, conventional clustering methods rely on program representations based on features such as abstract syntax trees (ASTs), syntax, control flow, and data flow. This paper proposes InvAASTCluster, a novel approach for program clustering that uses dynamically generated program invariants to cluster semantically equivalent IPAs. InvAASTCluster’s program representation uses a combination of the program’s semantics, through its invariants, and its structure through its anonymized abstract syntax tree (AASTs). Invariants denote conditions that must remain true during program execution, while AASTs are ASTs devoid of variable and function names, retaining only their types. Our experiments show that the proposed program representation outperforms syntax-based representations when clustering a set of correct IPAs. Furthermore, we integrate InvAASTCluster into a state-of-the-art clustering-based program repair tool. Our results show that InvAASTCluster advances the current state-of-the-art when used by clustering-based repair tools by repairing around 13% more students’ programs, in a shorter amount of time.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10201 - Computer sciences, information science, bioinformathics (hardware development to be 2.2, social aspect to be 5.8)

Projekt

Výsledek vznikl pri realizaci vícero projektů. Více informací v záložce Projekty.

Návaznosti

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

The Journal of Systems and Software

ISSN

0164-1212

e-ISSN

1873-1228

Svazek periodika

230

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

December

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

15

Strana od-do

—

Kód UT WoS článku

001532765400001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105009886596