Topics for Theses and Projects
Our topics for bachelor and master theses as well as projects are from the areas of software engineering and programming languages. The concrete topics for theses are based on our research interests and allow students to make their own contribution to a field of research. Our main target group are students of Computer Science, Software Engineering, Media Informatics, Artificial Intelligence, and Cognitive Systems.
This page offers a selection of topics and subject areas. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the respective supervisor. In addition, we are open to your own suggestions for topics.
(Legend - B: Bachelor Thesis, M: Master Thesis, P: Project)
Outline of a Bachelor or Master Thesis
Topic and Proposal
After the initial contact, the topic and the contents of the Bachelor or Master thesis are agreed upon and recorded in a proposal. The proposal has proven to be a valueable tool for risk minimization and planning of the thesis and includes:
- the context of the thesis
- the research question
- the state of research
- the solution idea
- the methodology and the evaluation plan
Much of the proposal can be reused in the final thesis.
Interim Presentation
In the course of the interim presentation, students learn to present and communicate results. In addition, the interim presentation can be used to reflect on the status of the thesis so far and to respond to feedback.
Submission and Final Presentation
The submission of the final thesis and the final presentation formally conclude the bachelor or master thesis.
(Legend - B: Bachelor thesis, M: Master thesis, P: Project)
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Human-centered Software Engineering
Dynamic and Static Program Analysis
Context
Most static analyzers rely on static dataflow analysis to detect problems like possible null pointer exceptions in code [5].
However, analyzers are usually unable to handle reflective or self-modifying code (e.g., Java Agents, Java Reflection, R's meta-functions [6]). While this is fine for languages in which such constructs are rare or discouraged, they are 1) used quite often in the R programming language, 2) are in-part essential to track program semantics, 3) pose an interesting problem to solve.
Problem
As a basis, we use the static program analysis framework flowR which is designed for the R programming language [3]. flowR is currently unable to deal with reflective and code-modifying constructs like eval, body, quote, and parse in its static dataflow graph.
While handling such constructs statically may be infeasible in the general case, we first want to focus on a set of common cases that appear frequently.
Tasks
- Develop a concept to represent code-modifications and lazy evaluation (within flowR's dataflow graph). For example, to represent a function that has the default values of its arguments or the contents of its body modified.
- Create a proof of concept implementation for this concept in flowR.
Related Work and Further Reading
- K. Cooper and L Torczon. Engineering a Compiler. (ISBN: 978-0-12-818926-9)
- U. Khedker, A. Sanyal, and B. Sathe. Data Flow Analysis: Theory and Practice. (ISBN: 978-0-8493-3251-7)
- F. Sihler. Constructing a Static Program Slicer for R Programs.
- A. Ko and B. Myers. Finding causes of program output with the Java Whyline.
- SonarQube, Sonar.
- Anckaert, B., Madou, M., De Bosschere, K. A Model for Self-Modifying Code.
If you want to, you can have a first look at flowR for yourself: https://github.com/flowr-analysis/flowr.
Contact and More
If you are interested and/or have any questions, feel free to contact me any time.
We can discuss the topic further and try to adapt it to your personal preferences.
Florian Sihler (Institute Homepage)
![[RESERVED] B/M: Automatically Infer Code-Constraints (Sihler, Tichy)](/fileadmin/website_uni_ulm/iui.inst.170/bilder/flowR/code-contracts.png)
Context
Let's suppose you are a data scientist tasked with the analysis of a dataset. As an expert of the domain you have a quick look at the dataset and remember an older script by a colleague which already loads, prepares, and transforms the dataset as you want! Reusing it just leaves you with the task of visualizing the data (as is the common workflow) so you quickly write up and run the script... and luckily realize that even though the script runs and produces figures eerily close to what you would expect, something is not right. The dataset of your colleague never contained a zero so the script contains the implicit assumption of being just able to divide cells.
Within this work we want to make such implicit assumptions explicit in the code, alerting users whenever they no longer hold!
Problem
You have an R script together with the statically inferred dataflow graph that informs you about the control and data dependencies of function calls, variables, and definitions in the program.
The challenges are to
- identify points of interest at which the behavior of the program is defined,
- infer contracts that represent the potential implicit assumptions at the given position (e.g., that the value of a variable has to be non-zero, smaller than the length of another vector, ...), and
- instrument the code to automatically verify these constraints from now on.
Of course, the specific scope of these challenges as well as the focus depends on whether you want to do this as a bachelor's or master's thesis as well as your personal preference.
Tasks
- Enrich flowR [4], a dataflow analysis framework for the R programming language, with the capability to infer predefined constraints
- Create an initial collection of sensible constraints to infer (e.g., non-zero values, ...)
- Infer these constraints and instrument the program to reflect them [5]
One way to infer such constraints would be the definition of abstract domains [1] although classical optimization techniques such as constant folding and constant propagation help as well [2, 3].
Related Work and Further Reading
- P. Cousot. Principles of Abstract Interpretation. (ISBN: 978-0-26-204490-5)
- K. Cooper and L Torczon. Engineering a Compiler. (ISBN: 978-0-12-818926-9)
- U. Khedker, A. Sanyal, and B. Sathe. Data Flow Analysis: Theory and Practice. (ISBN: 978-0-8493-3251-7)
- F. Sihler. Constructing a Static Program Slicer for R Programs.
- B. Meyer, Applying "Design by Contract"
If you want to, you can have a first look at flowR for yourself: https://github.com/flowr-analysis/flowr.
Contact and More
If you are interested and/or have any questions, feel free to contact me any time.
We can discuss the topic further and try to adapt it to your personal preferences.
Florian Sihler (Institute Homepage)
Self-adaptive Systems
Context
Self-Adaptive systems are systems that adjust themselves to maintain or improve their performance in response to changes in their environment and operational conditions, thereby ensuring continued effectiveness, reliability, and efficiency.
Self-adaptive systems are diverse and multifaceted, with applications extending across numerous fields. In our project, we concentrate on the cloud-native domain, with a special emphasis on the explainability aspect of self-adaptation. This involves delving into how these systems can not only adjust autonomously to changing conditions but also provide transparent and understandable explanations for their adaptations, ensuring clarity and trust in their operations.
In the MENTOR project, we use Palladio Component Models (PCM) of Self-Adaptive Microservices to simulate the system. These simulations are used to analyze and improve the performance of the systems reconfiguration behavior. To test the performance of our appraoch, we need PCM models of different systems to ensure generalizability and detect potential issues with our approach.
Problem
In this Master thesis, a prototype implementation of a PCM model generator has to be created. This prototype should get a set of constraints (e.g., Nmin≤∣C∣≤Nmax; ∀s∈S:λmin≤ArrivalRate(s)≤λmax; ∀(ci,cj)∈PotentialConnections:Lmin≤Latency(ci,cj)≤Lmax; ∀c∈Cpattern∖{ccenter},c→ccenter) and generate one or multiple pcm models satisfying the constraints. The generated models then have to be verified to ensure that they are well formed.
To generate the models, we imagine a combination of a constraint solver and a LLM. However, we are also open to other appraoches, for example using Answer Set Programming.
Tasks/Goals
- Familiarization with the PCM meta model
- Familiarization with constraint solver, LLMs, etc.
- Implement a Prototype
- Evaluate the Implementation
Software Variability and Evolution
Identification of Feature Interactions in Configurable Software
Context
In software product lines, variability is determined by features that can be included or excluded to create a specific configuration. T-wise sampling algorithms aim to generate samples that cover every possible combination of t features in at least one configuration within the sample set.
Problem
Some products/configurations may contain bugs resulting from errors that arise when multiple features are combined. These faulty feature interactions can potentially mask other errors. Currently, error masking/shadowing in configurable software is understudied that is why we want to investigate this topic.
Tasks
- Research on occurencies of complex feature interaction bugs and error masking bugs in configurable software systems
- Detect, compare, and discuss the complex feature interactions
Contact
Context
In software product lines, variability is determined by features that can be included or excluded to create a specific configuration. T-wise sampling algorithms aim to generate samples that cover every possible combination of t features in at least one configuration within the sample set.
Problem
Some feature interactions are covered by configurations more often than others.
Tasks
- Investigating how often feature interactions are covered in samples using different sampling algorithms
- Identify types/sets of common interactions (patterns)
- Evaluate the effectiveness of samples (100% t-wise covered samples and below 100% coverage)
Contact
Context
In the paper "A classification of product sampling for software product lines" (SPLC'18)", Mahsa et al. propose a classification for product sampling techniques by classifying the existing literature.
Problem
Since 2018, more recent publications have emerged addressing product line sampling, alongside new research topics of growing interest.
Tasks
- Literature research
- Investigate and classify new research topics and research gaps of growing interest
Contact
Constraint-Programmierung und Constraint Handling Rules
FreeCHR
The declarative programming language Constraint Handling Rules (CHR) is designed as a language extension to other, not necessarily declarative programming languages. There are existing implementations for Prolog, C, Java, JavaScript, and others. We want to conduct a Structured Literature Research (SLR) on existing implementations, to get an exhaustive overview over implementation techniques and patterns.
Goals
- Conduct an SLR on papers on existing CHR implementations
- Find CHR implementations without a scientific publication on public repositories on, e.g. GitHub, GitLab, ...
- Identify and document common architectures, implementation techniques and patterns
- Get an exhaustive overview over existing and historic CHR implementations
References
- T. Frühwirth: Constraint Handling Rules - What Else?
- S. Sneyers et al.: As time goes by: Constraint Handling Rules
- P. Van Weert: Efficient Lazy Evaluation of Rule-Based Programs
- P. Van Weert, P. Wuille, T. Schrijvers, B. Demoen: CHR for Imperative Host Languages
- F. Nogatz, T. Frühwirth, D. Seipel: CHR.js: A CHR Implementation in JavaScript
- Dragan Ivanović: Implementing Constraint Handling Rules as a Domain-Specific Language Embedded in Java
Prerequesites
- Interest in programming languages and (to some extend) compiler construction.
- Good knowledge of multiple programming languages and paradigms.
Contact
FreeCHR aims to be a sound and complete embedding framework for CHR. Hence, we want to extend the operational semantics by possibly failing computation, as they are necessary for the development of constraint solvers and other software.
Goals
- Extend the very abstract operational semantics of FreeCHR, such that they can model possibly failing computations
- Prove soundness and completeness w.r.t. the very abstract operational semantics of CHR
- Optional: Develop an execution algorithm and prove correctness w.r.t. the new operational semantics
References
- S. Rechenberger, T. Frühwirth: FreeCHR - An Algebraic Framework for CHR Embeddings
- T. Frühwirth: Constraint Handling Rules (ISBN: 978-0-521-87776-3)
Prerequesites
- Interest in formal aspects of programming languages
- Interest/knowledge in category theory and/or type systems is recommended
- Knowledge in functional programming, especially monads
Contact
FreeCHR aims to be a sound and complete embedding framework for CHR. Hence, we want to extend the operational semantics by stateful computation, as they are common in many programming languages.
Goals
- Extend the very abstract operational semantics of FreeCHR, such that they can model stateful computations
- Prove soundness and completeness w.r.t. the very abstract operational semantics of CHR
- Optional: Develop an execution algorithm and prove correctness w.r.t. the new operational semantics
References
- S. Rechenberger, T. Frühwirth: FreeCHR - An Algebraic Framework for CHR Embeddings
- T. Frühwirth: Constraint Handling Rules (ISBN: 978-0-521-87776-3)
Prerequesites
- Interest in formal aspects of programming languages
- Interest/knowledge in category theory and/or type systems is recommended
- Knowledge in functional programming, especially monads
Contact
FreeCHR aims to be a sound and complete embedding framework for CHR. The abstract operational semantics are a next step in the direction of modelling the necessities of real-life programming languages. Hence, we want to re-formalize them in the context of FreeCHR and establish soundness and completeness.
Goals
- Formalize the abstract operational semantics ωt of CHR in the terms of (side-effect free) FreeCHR
- Prove soundness and completeness of the new definition
References
- S. Rechenberger, T. Frühwirth: FreeCHR - An Algebraic Framework for CHR Embeddings
- T. Frühwirth: Constraint Handling Rules (ISBN: 978-0-521-87776-3)
Prerequesites
- Interest in formal aspects of programming languages
- Interest/knowledge in category theory and/or type systems is recommended
Contact
Constraint Handling Rules
We are developing a rule-based implementation of a tool to analyse and generate graphs. It is used in the domain of mason’s marks. For thousands of years, stonemasons have been inscribing these symbolic signs on dressed stone. Geometrically, mason’s marks are line drawings. They consist of a pattern of straight lines, sometimes circles and arcs. We represent mason’s marks by connected planar graphs. Our prototype tool for analysis and generation of graphs is written in the rule-based declarative language Constraint Handling Rules. One or several of following features could be improved in this proposed work:
Goals/Tasks
- improve the vertex-centric logical graph representation, i.e. adding arcs, colors, labels,
- encode existing mason marks either by hand, from images or import from existing databases,
- recognize (sub)graphs and patterns in a graph, in particular (self-)similarities and correlations between graphs,
- perform classical algorithms on graphs like shortest paths,
- derive properties and statistics from graphs,
- generate (randomly or exhaustively) and draw graphs from given constrained subgraphs based on properties and statistics.
References
Prerequesites
- Good knowledge of Prolog and CHR
- Lecture Rule-based Programming
Contact
Extend the analysis techniques and/or the associated tool from the following two research papers:
A dynamic program analysis of the non-termination problem for recursion in the Constraint Handling Rules (CHR) language: A simple program transformation for recursive rules in CHR was introduced that produces one or more adversary rules. When the rules are executed together, a non-terminating computation may arise. It was shown that any non-terminating computation of the original rule contains this witness computation.
References
- Thom Fruehwirth: A Devil's Advocate against Termination of Direct Recursion, PPDP 2015.
- Transformation Tool available (use "Devil" options).
A static program analysis of the non-termination problem for recursion in the Constraint Handling Rules (CHR) language: Theorems with so-called misbehavior conditions for potential non-termination and failure (as well as definite termination) of linear direct recursive simplification rules are given. Logical relationships between the constraints in a recursive rule play a crucial role in this kind of program analysis.
References
Prerequesites
- Lecture "Rule-Based Programming"
Contact
Invariants (or assertions, properties, conditions) annotate program text and express static and dynamic properties of a program's execution. Invariants can be expressed as logical relations (predicates) over the program's variables. In the context of constraint-programming and Constraint Handling Rules (CHR), they amount to constraints. These can be readily added to the program to enforce the invariants. By comparing the program with and without invariants expressed as constraints using established program analysis techniques for CHR, namely confluence and program equivalence, we can check if the invariants hold in the program.
Furthermore, invariants can be strenghened and even be generated by adapting the so-called completion method (that is normally used to generate additional rules to make a CHR program confluent).
References
Prerequisites
Contact
Program slicing is a program anaylsis technique whereby one extracts properties and relationships of variables in a program by removing from the program all statements that do not effect the assignments of the variables. In the context of constraint programming and Constraint Handling Rules that deal with logical relations (predicates) this amounts to the logical operation of variable projection. This means that we remove unwanted variables that are not of interest from the program by program transformation. This transformation can be accomplished by adapting the technique of "completion". It is usually used to make a non-confluent program confluent.
References
Prerequisites
- Lecture "Rule-based Programming
Contact
Repeated recursion unfolding is a new approach that repeatedly unfolds a recursion with itself and simplifies it while keeping all unfolded rules. Each unfolding doubles the number of recursive steps covered. This reduces the number of recursive rule applications to its logarithm at the expense of introducing a logarithmic number of unfolded rules to the program. Efficiency crucially depends on the amount of simplification inside the unfolded rules. A super-linear speedup is provably possible in the best case, i.e. speedup by more than a constant factor. The optimization can lower the time complexity class of a program.
Goals
The goal is to implement this optimization scheme as a program transformation in the programming language of choice. If necessary, the scheme should be transferred from recursion to iteration constructs such as loops.
References
Prerequisite
- Excellent knowledge and programming skills in the choosen programming language.
Contact
Prolog (WAM) and then Java (JVM) popularized the concept of an abstract (or virtual) machine to implement programming languages in a systematic, portable yet efficient way. Such a machine shall be developed for CHR.
Goals
Define the abstract code instructions for CHR and to implement them.
Prerequesites
- Good knowledge of Prolog and CHR
- Lecture Rule-based Programming
- Lecture Compiler Construction (Compilerbau) (optional but very helpful)
Contact