Automated Software Patch Generation via Bug Pattern Generalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software development tools lack an efficient method to automatically generate patches for correcting errors in software code based on natural language descriptions and code snippets from developer forums, limiting the ability to automate the repair process.
Innovation Solution
A computing system is configured to obtain concrete patches from relevant posts in developer forums, generate generalized patches based on bug patterns, and apply these patches to specific code snippets to correct errors, using a combination of abstract and concrete code transformations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software development tools perform machine analysis operations to analyze forum posts to identify relevant posts for correcting errors, then the ability to leverage community knowledge is improved, but the time and computational resources required for analysis increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and storing forum posts with extracted code snippets and repair operations in a structured database before actual error correction is needed. This allows the machine analysis to quickly query pre-organized knowledge rather than analyzing raw forum posts from scratch, reducing analysis time while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis of forum posts with automated machine learning models that can rapidly analyze and match error patterns. The system uses automated code comparison algorithms and pattern recognition to substitute the time-consuming manual process of finding relevant forum posts, significantly reducing analysis time while improving consistency
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system generates generalized patches based on bug patterns from multiple code snippets, then the versatility of error correction is improved, but the complexity of patch generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the patch generation process into distinct components: bug pattern extraction from forum posts, generalization of repair operations, and application to new code snippets. By dividing the complex task of creating universally applicable patches into manageable segments, the system can build versatility through accumulated patterns while managing complexity through modular processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates universal bug patterns that can apply to multiple different code snippets and error scenarios. By extracting common patterns from diverse forum posts and representing them in a generalized form, a single patch pattern can correct multiple similar errors across different codebases, achieving versatility without proportionally increasing generation complexity
3Productivity
If the system applies automated repair operations to code snippets based on generated patches, then the productivity of error correction is improved, but the precision of applying repairs to specific code contexts may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the applied patches are evaluated for correctness. If a generated patch does not successfully correct the error or introduces new issues, the system learns from this feedback and adjusts future patch generation. This allows rapid automated application while maintaining precision through continuous validation and learning from results
Solution Approach 2:
The system adapts generalized patches to local code contexts by modifying specific details while preserving the core repair logic. When applying a bug pattern to a new code snippet, the system adjusts variable names, data types, and specific syntax to match the local context, ensuring high precision in the applied repair while maintaining the productivity benefits of automated generation
Data Source
AI summary
Operations include obtaining a first patch that corrects a first error in a first buggy code snippet of first source code based on the first buggy code snippet and a first repaired code snippet. The operations also include generating a second patch based on the first patch and a bug pattern of a bug scenario that corresponds to the first error. In addition, the operations include generating a third patch based on the second patch, the bug pattern, and a second buggy code snippet of second source code, the third patch correcting a second error in the second buggy code snippet. Moreover, the operations include performing one or more repair operations with respect to the second buggy code snippet based on the third patch.