AI-Powered Bug Detection in Software Development

By: Vanshika Chilkoti, Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, Sector-26, Chandigarh, 160019, India

ABSTRACT:

This research introduces an innovative framework for automated bug detection in software development, leveraging machine learning. The framework demonstrates real-time feedback capabilities and seamless integration into developers’ workflows. This work contributes to advancing automated bug detection and the framework establishes a foundation for future research, offering insights into the evolving landscape of automated bug detection. The primary focus of this framework is to provide real-time feedback to developers and seamlessly integrate it into their workflows. By leveraging machine learning, the framework aims to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of bug detection processes. The incorporation of real-time feedback is particularly significant as it enables developers to promptly address issues during the development phase, reducing the likelihood of bugs persisting into the final product. This research contributes significantly to the field of automated bug detection by not only presenting a novel framework but also demonstrating its practical applicability in real-time scenarios. The seamless integration into developers’ workflows emphasizes the practicality and usability of the framework, showcasing its potential for widespread adoption in the software development industry. Moreover, the work lays the groundwork for future research endeavors in the realm of automated bug detection, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of this crucial aspect of software development. Overall, this research marks a substantial step forward in advancing the capabilities of automated bug detection and sets the stage for further exploration and refinement in the field.

KEYWORDS:

Automated Bug Detection, Machine Learning, Software Development

INTRODUCTION:

The complexity and size of codebases of software systems make manual bug detection techniques increasingly unfeasible. This problem is addressed by automated [1] bug detection using machine learning, which makes use of algorithms that can scan enormous amounts of code for anomalies or possible bugs. Machine learning (ML) systems have greatly impacted society in a wide range of applications, such as computer vision, speech recognition, natural Internet of Things, neuroscience, language comprehension, and healthcare. The subject of machine learning (ML) is how to put together a process framework that gets better with time. Using large data sets and machine learning techniques, users can forecast and uncover hidden structures. ML thrives in environments with efficient computing, rich and large amounts of data, and skilled learning methodologies. Figure 1 illustrates the formation of machine learning. Machine learning [2] significantly aids automated bug detection in software development. When a computer program or system exhibits an error, flaw, or unintended behavior that results in unexpected or incorrect output, it’s referred to as a “bug” in the context of software development. Errors in syntax, logic, or design are just a few of the ways that bugs can appear. From design and coding to testing and deployment, they can happen at any point in the software development life cycle. Finding and locating bugs in a system or software application is known as bug detection. This is an essential stage in the software development life cycle that guarantees the finished product is functional, dependable, and satisfies the requirements.

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Figure 1: Formation of ML

A state-of-the-art method for enhancing the software development lifecycle is automated bug detection [3] via machine learning. The need for reliable and accurate bug detection mechanisms grows as software systems get more complex. Bugs can be found and fixed manually using time-consuming, human-error-prone methods. Machine learning presents a promising way to automate the bug detection process because of its capacity to recognize patterns and learn from data. Automated bug detection plays a critical role across diverse domains, contributing to the development of high-quality software and systems.

Table 1: Application of Automated Bug Detection in different domains

Domain	Application of Automated Bug Detection
Software Development	Identifying and rectifying bugs in source code during development and code review [4].
Web Development	Detecting vulnerabilities and security issues [5] in web applications to ensure robustness.
MobileApp Development	Checking mobile apps for crashes, performance issues, and compatibility across devices[6].
Embedded Systems	Ensuring the reliability and stability of software in embedded systems[7] for diverse uses.
Gaming Industry	Ensuring gaming software is free from glitches, crashes, and other performance issues [8].

Using machine learning, automated bug detection involves utilizing algorithms to find and mark possible mistakes, abnormalities, or bugs in software code or applications. Usually, this procedure entails using labeled data to train an ML model to identify patterns that point to errors or problematic code segments. In order to incorporate machine learning in automated bug detection, the following framework has been proposed.

TensorFlow in Bug Detection:

The integration of machine learning techniques into the software development lifecycle has shown promising results, especially in automating bug detection processes. Google’s open-source machine learning library TensorFlow[9] is one of the top frameworks in this field. The software quality can be greatly improved by automated bug detection with machine learning, specifically with TensorFlow[10]. The flexibility and scalability of TensorFlow make it the perfect platform for developing and implementing machine learning models for bug detection. Because of its extensive library and toolkit, developers can concentrate on building efficient bug detection models, as the development process is made simpler.

Training Data and Feature Extraction:

The quality and variety of the training data determine how well a bug detection model performs. An important source of information for training the model is historical bug data, which includes fixed problems and the corresponding changes to the code. TensorFlow makes it easier to extract pertinent features from the code, like function calls, code structure, and variable usage, so the model can discover patterns linked to bugs [11].

Model Architecture:

Developers can create and apply a variety of machine learning architectures appropriate for bug detection using TensorFlow. Code snippets and sequences are commonly analyzed using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)[12] and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs)[13], respectively. The architecture that is selected should be able to accurately represent the subtleties of the code patterns linked to bugs.

Training and Validation:

Following the definition of the model architecture, the labeled dataset is used to train the bug detection model. Developers can adjust parameters and maximize the performance of the model by using TensorFlow’s training and validation tools. Making sure the model applies well to new, untested code is the goal of the validation process.

Integration into the Development Workflow:

The trained model must be seamlessly integrated into the development workflow in order to enable automated bug detection. TensorFlow models can be incorporated into code review procedures or used as part of Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines[14]. Through this integration, developers can get rapid feedback on possible bugs, which speeds up the process of fixing bugs and improves the overall quality of software.

CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS:

Even though automated bug detection with machine learning [15-17] and frameworks like TensorFlow has made promising progress, there are still a number of issues that need to be investigated further. False positives, or instances where the model mistakenly labels non-bug instances as bugs, are one of the ongoing challenges. To increase confidence in automated bug detection systems, it is imperative to mitigate false positives. Subsequent studies could focus on improving model architectures and implementing sophisticated statistical methods to reduce the number of false positives.

The ability of bug detection models to adapt to different programming languages and codebases presents another important challenge. Since software projects frequently combine multiple languages and frameworks, future research must focus on improving the model’s cross-context generalization capabilities. Transfer learning and cross-language bug detection research could yield insightful findings that help make these models more broadly applicable. Furthermore, a deeper contextual understanding needs to be incorporated into bug detection models. Comprehending the complexities of particular software projects, industry domains, and development practices can greatly improve the precision of defect identification. To provide a more comprehensive picture of the codebase, future directions may involve utilizing natural language processing [19] techniques to understand comments and documentation.

CONCLUSION:

Automated bug detection using machine learning, particularly with the TensorFlow framework, marks a substantial advancement in the quest for higher software quality. By leveraging the power of machine learning, developers can efficiently identify and rectify bugs, leading to more reliable and robust software systems. While this article provides a comprehensive overview of automated bug detection using machine learning with TensorFlow, it is essential to note that the evaluation of specific bug detection models is beyond its current scope. The aim has been to introduce the significance of integrating machine learning into bug detection processes, emphasizing TensorFlow’s role in model development and deployment. The integration of machine learning [18] into software development processes is poised to become a standard practice, ensuring the delivery of high-quality software products. As we look ahead, this framework lays the groundwork for future research, contributing to the pursuit of sustainable and efficient software development practices [20].

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Cite As

Chilkoti V. (2024) AI-Powered Bug Detection in Software Development, Insight2Techinfo, pp.1

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