Abstract: A program analysis tool leverages the garbage collection process to dynamically infer invariants of objects or data structures created by a program on the heap during execution. During execution of the program in a garbage-collected execution environment, the program analysis tool tracks object allocations made by the program, and records some meta data relating to invariants tracked for the type of the object, which are initially assumed satisfied by the object. Whenever a garbage collection pass visits the object, the tool checks whether the object still satisfies the invariants, and updates the meta data accordingly. The tool finally reports the invariants reflected by the meta data upon the object's death or at termination of the program. The invariants can then be used to annotate the program source code and/or detect bugs that violate the invariants.

Abstract: A program analysis tool leverages the garbage collection process to dynamically infer invariants of objects or data structures created by a program on the heap during execution. During execution of the program in a garbage-collected execution environment, the program analysis tool tracks object allocations made by the program, and records some meta data relating to invariants tracked for the type of the object, which are initially assumed satisfied by the object. Whenever a garbage collection pass visits the object, the tool checks whether the object still satisfies the invariants, and updates the meta data accordingly. The tool finally reports the invariants reflected by the meta data upon the object's death or at termination of the program. The invariants can then be used to annotate the program source code and/or detect bugs that violate the invariants.