Program Analysis
Program analysis is a field of computer science that involves automatically analyzing the behavior and properties of computer programs without executing them. It uses static and dynamic techniques to examine code structure, data flow, control flow, and runtime behavior to detect bugs, verify correctness, optimize performance, and enhance security. This discipline is foundational for tools like compilers, debuggers, and security scanners.
Developers should learn program analysis to build more reliable, efficient, and secure software by identifying issues early in the development cycle. It is essential for creating automated testing tools, performing code reviews, optimizing compilers, and implementing security audits in domains like embedded systems, financial software, and safety-critical applications.