An improvement of software reliability by detecting faulty code in structured programming

Abstract

Software reliability is an important feature of a good software implementation. However, some faults that cause the software failures are not detected during the development stages. These faults will create unexpected problems for users whenever they arise. At present most of the current techniques detect faults while the software is running. Unlike other techniques, the Precompiled Fault Detection and Correction (PFDaC) technique introduced in this dissertation detects and corrects the faults before the source code is compiled. The objective of the PFDaC technique is to increase software reliability without increasing the programmers' responsibilities. The concept of "pre-compilation" is applied to PFDaC in order to reduce the risk of significant damages during the execution period. PFDaC technique can completely eliminate the significant faults in the program source code. Consequently, the risks of software failure based on these faults can be avoided and the reliability of the software is improved