Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
Abstract
The ultra-large-scale systems of the future require the transformation of software engineering into a computational discipline capable of fast and dependable software development. This paper discusses an emerging next-generation software engineering research area: function extraction (FX) technology for automated computation to the maximum extent possible of the behavior, correctness, and quality attributes of software components and their compositions into systems. An introduction to the mathematical foundations for computation of software behavior is provided, followed by an overview description of a rigorously designed experiment to quantify the potential for FX technology, and a discussion of a CERT STAR*Lab first application of FX technology to compute the behavior of code expressed in the Intel assembly language instruction set.
Cite This SEI Report
Linger, R., Hevner, A., & Walton, G. (2006, September 9). Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/.
@techreport{linger_2006,
author={Linger, Richard and Hevner, Alan and Walton, Gwendolyn},
title={Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior},
month={Sep},
year={2006},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Sep-11}
}
Linger, Richard, Alan Hevner, and Gwendolyn Walton. "Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, September 9, 2006. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/.
R. Linger, A. Hevner, and G. Walton, "Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, 9-Sep-2006 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/. [Accessed: 11-Sep-2026].
Linger, Richard, Alan Hevner, and Gwendolyn Walton. "Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 9 Sep. 2006. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.
Linger, Richard; Hevner, Alan; & Walton, Gwendolyn. Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior. Software Engineering Institute. 2006. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/next-generation-software-engineering-function-extraction-for-computation-of-software-behavior/