{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7134888634","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3671416","title":"Iter-T: ITERative Test Suite Generation for Automated Program Repair","display_name":"Iter-T: ITERative Test Suite Generation for Automated Program Repair","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-10","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7134888634","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3671416"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3671416","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3671416","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5003601534","display_name":"Ariel Godio","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9198-185X"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210133962","display_name":"Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Buenos Aires (ITBA)","ror":"https://ror.org/02qwadn23","country_code":"AR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210133962"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210160046","display_name":"Instituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires","ror":"https://ror.org/05476d639","country_code":"AR","type":"healthcare","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210160046"]}],"countries":["AR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ariel Godio","raw_affiliation_strings":["Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Aut\u00f3noma de Buenos, Aires, Argentina"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9198-185X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Aut\u00f3noma de Buenos, Aires, Argentina","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4210133962","https://openalex.org/I4210160046"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5056122432","display_name":"Sim\u00f3n Guti\u00e9rrez Brida","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3115-2739"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I15366983","display_name":"Universidad Nacional de R\u00edo Cuarto","ror":"https://ror.org/0002pcv65","country_code":"AR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}],"countries":["AR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sim\u00f3n Guti\u00e9rrez Brida","raw_affiliation_strings":["Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3115-2739","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5074298887","display_name":"Germ\u00e1n Regis","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0979-4623"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I15366983","display_name":"Universidad Nacional de R\u00edo Cuarto","ror":"https://ror.org/0002pcv65","country_code":"AR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}],"countries":["AR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Germ\u00e1n Regis","raw_affiliation_strings":["Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0979-4623","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5030064922","display_name":"Hamid Bagheri","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6686-466X"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I114395901","display_name":"University of Nebraska\u2013Lincoln","ror":"https://ror.org/043mer456","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I114395901"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Hamid Bagheri","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6686-466X","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I114395901"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5069411288","display_name":"ThanhVu Nguyen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4255-4592"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I162714631","display_name":"George Mason University","ror":"https://ror.org/02jqj7156","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I162714631"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"ThanhVu Vu Nguyen","raw_affiliation_strings":["George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4255-4592","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I162714631"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5016401353","display_name":"Nazareno Aguirre","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0532-5296"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I15366983","display_name":"Universidad Nacional de R\u00edo Cuarto","ror":"https://ror.org/0002pcv65","country_code":"AR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}],"countries":["AR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Nazareno Aguirre","raw_affiliation_strings":["Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0532-5296","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, R\u00edo Cuarto, Argentina","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I15366983"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5035707440","display_name":"Marcelo F. Frias","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5592-1355"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I164936912","display_name":"The University of Texas at El Paso","ror":"https://ror.org/04d5vba33","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I164936912"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Marcelo F. Frias","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Texas, El Paso, TX, USA"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5592-1355","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Texas, El Paso, TX, USA","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I164936912"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":6,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.22916667,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"52","issue":"5","first_page":"1739","last_page":"1755"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10743","display_name":"Software Testing and Debugging Techniques","score":0.984499990940094,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1712","display_name":"Software"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10743","display_name":"Software Testing and Debugging Techniques","score":0.984499990940094,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1712","display_name":"Software"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12423","display_name":"Software Reliability and Analysis Research","score":0.002199999988079071,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1712","display_name":"Software"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11005","display_name":"Radiation Effects in Electronics","score":0.002099999925121665,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2208","display_name":"Electrical and Electronic Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/test-suite","display_name":"Test suite","score":0.8496000170707703},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/benchmark","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","score":0.5835000276565552},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/java","display_name":"Java","score":0.5705999732017517},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/suite","display_name":"Suite","score":0.5037000179290771},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/process","display_name":"Process (computing)","score":0.4912000000476837},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/test-case","display_name":"Test case","score":0.4812000095844269},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/test","display_name":"Test (biology)","score":0.4553999900817871},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/system-under-test","display_name":"System under test","score":0.4000000059604645}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8791999816894531},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C151552104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7705809","display_name":"Test suite","level":4,"score":0.8496000170707703},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185798385","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1161707","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","level":2,"score":0.5835000276565552},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C548217200","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q251","display_name":"Java","level":2,"score":0.5705999732017517},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C79581498","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1367530","display_name":"Suite","level":2,"score":0.5037000179290771},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98045186","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205663","display_name":"Process (computing)","level":2,"score":0.4912000000476837},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C128942645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1568346","display_name":"Test case","level":3,"score":0.4812000095844269},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777267654","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023","display_name":"Test (biology)","level":2,"score":0.4553999900817871},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.43650001287460327},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108913964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2376856","display_name":"System under test","level":4,"score":0.4000000059604645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115903868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80993","display_name":"Software engineering","level":1,"score":0.3944000005722046},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111065885","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1189053","display_name":"Fuzz testing","level":3,"score":0.36320000886917114},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C1009929","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179550","display_name":"Software bug","level":3,"score":0.3508000075817108},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779696439","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7512811","display_name":"Signature (topology)","level":2,"score":0.32760000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C143587482","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1543216","display_name":"Iterative and incremental development","level":2,"score":0.32589998841285706},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169168650","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1675637","display_name":"Keyword-driven testing","level":5,"score":0.3255999982357025},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C161821725","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917415","display_name":"Regression testing","level":5,"score":0.31209999322891235},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.3109999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C200601418","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2193887","display_name":"Reliability engineering","level":1,"score":0.3109999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124101348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172491","display_name":"Data mining","level":1,"score":0.3009999990463257},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.2937000095844269},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162307627","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q204833","display_name":"Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution","level":2,"score":0.28679999709129333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110251889","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1569697","display_name":"Model checking","level":2,"score":0.2712000012397766},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C98183937","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2112188","display_name":"Program analysis","level":2,"score":0.2705000042915344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168065819","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845566","display_name":"Debugging","level":2,"score":0.2648000121116638}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3671416","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3671416","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":50,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W82132563","https://openalex.org/W1507029499","https://openalex.org/W1553534714","https://openalex.org/W1964830323","https://openalex.org/W1971650562","https://openalex.org/W1978679823","https://openalex.org/W2061575154","https://openalex.org/W2089383796","https://openalex.org/W2104107939","https://openalex.org/W2107709519","https://openalex.org/W2110311336","https://openalex.org/W2126071695","https://openalex.org/W2145373440","https://openalex.org/W2153881107","https://openalex.org/W2156723666","https://openalex.org/W2344973853","https://openalex.org/W2465133314","https://openalex.org/W2466388701","https://openalex.org/W2571744281","https://openalex.org/W2735107749","https://openalex.org/W2741328617","https://openalex.org/W2765944901","https://openalex.org/W2770103357","https://openalex.org/W2804618777","https://openalex.org/W2850616187","https://openalex.org/W2886319709","https://openalex.org/W2895570420","https://openalex.org/W2924629359","https://openalex.org/W2963909831","https://openalex.org/W3012626099","https://openalex.org/W3140896149","https://openalex.org/W3165666748","https://openalex.org/W3176859472","https://openalex.org/W4211123598","https://openalex.org/W4221164274","https://openalex.org/W4241849139","https://openalex.org/W4244488020","https://openalex.org/W4284666365","https://openalex.org/W4285586679","https://openalex.org/W4286383581","https://openalex.org/W4308643319","https://openalex.org/W4312877868","https://openalex.org/W4313563679","https://openalex.org/W4323896452","https://openalex.org/W4386436496","https://openalex.org/W4388214645","https://openalex.org/W4389162178","https://openalex.org/W4389208841","https://openalex.org/W4410536331","https://openalex.org/W4410553173"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Test-based":[0],"automated":[1],"program":[2,90,121,178,259],"repair":[3,87,147],"(TB-APR)":[4],"techniques":[5,38,56],"automatically":[6,115],"fix":[7],"buggy":[8,212],"programs":[9,202,214],"by":[10,114,193,240,280],"relying":[11],"on":[12,46,207,298],"a":[13,21,67,103,141,208,238,254,258,277],"failing":[14],"test":[15,18,48,63,82,117,223,248,268,286],"suite.":[16],"This":[17,153],"suite":[19,49],"serves":[20],"dual":[22],"purpose:":[23],"pinpointing":[24],"bugs":[25],"and":[26,158,165,203],"evaluating":[27],"the":[28,34,47,59,72,80,88,109,131,146,167,217,234,245,271,283],"validity":[29],"of":[30,36,54,62,74,111,182,197,210,228,236],"potential":[31],"patches.":[32],"However,":[33],"effectiveness":[35,110],"TB-APR":[37,55,112,125,190,255],"in":[39,66,130,144,251],"generating":[40,116],"correct":[41,278],"patches":[42,77,139,164,174],"is":[43,128,191],"highly":[44],"dependent":[45],"utilized.":[50],"The":[51,180],"primary":[52],"shortcoming":[53],"arises":[57],"from":[58,150,171,216,226],"intrinsic":[60],"incompleteness":[61],"suites,":[64],"resulting":[65],"significant":[68],"drawback:":[69],"overfitting,":[70],"i.e.,":[71],"generation":[73],"\u2018overfitted":[75],"patches\u2019,":[76],"that":[78,133,136],"pass":[79],"given":[81],"suites":[83,118,224,269,287],"but":[84],"fail":[85],"to":[86,107,161,244,275],"subject":[89],"correctly":[91],"regarding":[92],"its":[93,261],"more":[94],"general":[95],"intended":[96],"behavior.To":[97],"address":[98],"this":[99,198],"challenge,":[100],"we":[101],"present":[102],"novel":[104],"technique":[105,154,199],"designed":[106],"enhance":[108],"methods":[113],"tailored":[119],"for":[120,177,189,200],"repair.":[122,179],"Unlike":[123],"prior":[124],"techniques,":[126],"it":[127],"rooted":[129],"recognition":[132],"edge":[134],"cases":[135,252],"invalidate":[137],"overfitted":[138,229],"play":[140],"pivotal":[142],"role":[143],"guiding":[145],"process":[148],"away":[149],"incorrect":[151],"solutions.":[152],"leverages":[155],"formal":[156],"specifications":[157],"bounded":[159],"verification":[160],"evaluate":[162],"candidate":[163,173,230],"transforms":[166],"counterexamples":[168],"(CEs)":[169],"obtained":[170],"verifying":[172],"into":[175],"tests":[176,188,297],"efficacy":[181],"iteratively":[183],"using":[184,260],"such":[185],"CEs":[186,227,265],"as":[187,267],"substantiated":[192],"Iter-T":[194,232],"our":[195],"implementation":[196],"Java":[201,213],"JML":[204],"specifications,":[205],"evaluated":[206],"benchmark":[209],"717":[211],"drawn":[215],"APR":[218],"literature.":[219],"By":[220],"progressively":[221],"constructing":[222],"exclusively":[225],"patches,":[231],"increases":[233],"odds":[235],"fixing":[237],"bug":[239],"about":[241],"58%":[242],"compared":[243],"originally":[246],"provided":[247],"suites.":[249],"Moreover,":[250],"where":[253],"tool":[256],"repairs":[257],"original":[262],"suite,":[263],"employing":[264],"alone":[266],"reduces":[270],"median":[272],"time":[273],"required":[274],"generate":[276],"patch":[279],"42%.":[281],"Remarkably,":[282],"generated":[284],"CEs-based":[285],"are":[288],"very":[289],"small,":[290],"accomplishing":[291],"these":[292],"results":[293],"with":[294],"only":[295],"2.4":[296],"average.":[299]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-29T09:40:50.615796","created_date":"2026-03-12T00:00:00"}