Automated verification of shape and size properties via separation logic

Abstract

Despite their popularity and importance, pointer-based programs remain a major challenge for program verification. In this paper, we propose an automated verification system that is concise, precise and expressive for ensuring the safety of pointer-based programs. Our approach uses user-definable shape predicates to allow programmers to describe a wide range of data structures with their associated size properties. To support automatic verification, we design a new entailment checking procedure that can handle well-founded inductive predicates using unfold/fold reasoning. We have proven the soundness and termination of our verification system, and have built a prototype system. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.