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High-Integrity Programming with SPARK: A Unique Approach to Computer Systems Programming

This undergraduate course delves into programming techniques for safety-critical systems using SPARK, a specialized language. Students learn to write high-integrity code segments and understand the nuances of specialized languages versus general programming languages. With projects like matrix operations and flight control simulation, students gain hands-on experience in high-integrity software development. The course layout includes lessons on Ada95, SPARK basics, examiner tools, and software design. The projects emphasize enforcing requirements, extending code, and collaborating on complex system simulations. Assessment and student feedback reveal the course's effectiveness in teaching safety-critical programming concepts. The innovative use of SPARK in undergraduate education opens doors to exploring high-integrity software development in various industries.

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High-Integrity Programming with SPARK: A Unique Approach to Computer Systems Programming

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  1. Experiences using SPARK in an Undergraduate CS Course Dr. Anthony S. Ruocco Roger Williams University aruocco@rwu.edu Attendance made possible through the Educator Grant Program

  2. Agenda • Why this course • Course Development • Assessment • Future Possibilities (some unexpected effects)

  3. Ada95 Course • Needed a CS elective suitable for juniors/seniors • Asked constituents about Ada95 • Local industry was uninterested • One employer supported it (Navy Research Lab) • Dean was skeptical • More conducive to the idea of well-constructed software • Planned for a software development course using Ada95

  4. High Integrity Software • SPARK toolset available at SIGSCE2004 • Gnat Programming System (GPS) available via AdaCorp Academic Alliance • Professional grade IDE • Some SPARK tools available as drop-down menu items • JGRASP • Used in other courses • Requires use of SPARK toolset ‘outside’ the IDE

  5. The students • Seven total • 2 Juniors • 4 Seniors • 1 December grad • Courses (Completed/Concurrent) • Intro to Programming (7) • Data Structures (7) • Computer Organization (7) • Programming Languages (7) • Theory of Computation (5/2) • Analysis of Alg (5) • Operating Systems (2/3) • Compiler Design (2/3) • Senior Design I (2/3) • Senior Design II (2)

  6. Course Description This course focuses on programming techniques for computer systems found in safety critical environments such as avionics, power plant and/or transportation systems. The course uses a specialized language (SPARK) and its tools to write and examine high-integrity code segments. Students become familiar with some of the differences between general programming languages and specialized languages. Use of the risks.comp news group also highlights non software-specific risks in large systems.

  7. Course Objectives • Understand the safety/risk implications inherent in high integrity software systems. • Use specialized software tools in the production of high integrity code segments. • Use a specialized programming language to produce high integrity code segments. • Research an issue in high integrity software and present a possible solution.

  8. Course Layout • Ada95 / SPARK language basics (10 lessons) • Examiner tools and software design (14 lessons) • gtkAda tools (4 lessons – target of opportunity) • Four projects • Two individual projects • One group project • One course project

  9. SPARK Overview • A language fully contained within Ada95 • Syntactically, it is Ada code linked by special annotations to a tool-set • Produces a series of reports of the results (but it is not a compiler)

  10. Projects • P1: Matrix • Individual • IDE and SPARK familiarization • Enforced requirement for all ranges to be subtypes • P2: Extension of Project 1 • No one thought of using child-packages

  11. Projects (cont) • P3: max-flow • Given functional pascal code • Two groups (size 3 and 4) • This was an ‘interesting’ project • P4: Flight control simulator • Three groups of 2 for Pitch, Roll, Yaw control • Each group gave one person to a ‘control team’ • They were to work independently, then link their pieces

  12. Assessment & Lessons Learned • First time course was offered • Only 7 students • Lots of opportunity for one-to-one discussions of content • Some follow-up after the course with graduates

  13. Course Development This course focuses on programming techniques for computer systems found in safety critical environments such as avionics, power plant and/or transportation systems. The course uses a specialized language (SPARK) and its tools to write and examine high-integrity code segments. Students become familiar with some of the differences between general programming languages and specialized languages. Use of the risks.comp news group also highlights non software-specific risks inlarge systems.

  14. Course Objectives • Understand the safety/risk implications inherent in high integrity software systems. • Use specialized software tools in the production of high integrity code segments. • Use a specialized programming language to produce high integrity code segments. • Research an issue in high integrity software and present a possible solution.

  15. Student Comments • Students felt SPARK was a unique language (not just an Ada subset) • Students felt they needed to know Ada before starting SPARK • Students would like to see Ada95 as a regular elective and SPARK done on some cycle • All students felt the most important pre-req for this course was Programming Languages (a survey course) • Students were surprised by how much the OS and compiler removes from the programmer • All students were able to link some aspect of every previous course they had to this course*

  16. Lessons learned • Had to do parallel development of Ada as SPARK constructs were covered • The GPS IDE with SPARK drop down menu helped instill habit of running SPARK tools prior to compilation • Pay attention to SPARK license, it expires in September (after the semester was underway)

  17. Future possibilities(FIE 2006 paper) • SPARK supports a number of concepts from other courses • Five categories from CAC • Algorithms, software design, computer organization & architecture, data structures, programming languages • Algorithms: understanding all variables, as well as the operating space of the algorithm, tools to support formal proof • Software Design: strong focus on design by contract. All the parts need to be completely understood to integrate them

  18. Computer Org and Architecture: Use of config files allows for various target machines • Data structures: Reduced operating space enforces careful data structure design and links to algorithm • Programming languages: SPARK itself • Consider SPARK as an overall educational tool, not just a language

  19. Thanks to: Adacore: www.gnat.com/academic_overview.php Rod Chapman at Praxis: www.praxis-his.com/sparkada/universities.asp

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