{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7166197348","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","title":"From Guessing to Placeholding: A Cost-Theoretic Framework for Uncertainty-Aware Code Completion","display_name":"From Guessing to Placeholding: A Cost-Theoretic Framework for Uncertainty-Aware Code Completion","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-04-02","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7166197348","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5005096654","display_name":"Lei Zhu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3762-8344"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhu, Liang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5132952762","display_name":"Haolin Chen","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chen, Haolin","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5021606172","display_name":"L Zhao","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhao, Lidong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5090578536","display_name":"X . Wu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wu, Xian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.6029000282287598,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"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/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.6029000282287598,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"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/T12127","display_name":"Software System Performance and Reliability","score":0.13210000097751617,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"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/T11986","display_name":"Scientific Computing and Data Management","score":0.03440000116825104,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1802","display_name":"Information Systems and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/security-token","display_name":"Security token","score":0.6255999803543091},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/code","display_name":"Code (set theory)","score":0.5802000164985657},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/function","display_name":"Function (biology)","score":0.4244999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/entropy","display_name":"Entropy (arrow of time)","score":0.39160001277923584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/language-model","display_name":"Language model","score":0.3801000118255615},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/coding","display_name":"Coding (social sciences)","score":0.36090001463890076}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7581999897956848},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48145219","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335365","display_name":"Security token","level":2,"score":0.6255999803543091},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776760102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5139990","display_name":"Code (set theory)","level":3,"score":0.5802000164985657},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.42879998683929443},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C14036430","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3736076","display_name":"Function (biology)","level":2,"score":0.4244999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C106301342","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4117933","display_name":"Entropy (arrow of time)","level":2,"score":0.39160001277923584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.38999998569488525},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137293760","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3621696","display_name":"Language model","level":2,"score":0.3801000118255615},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C179518139","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5140297","display_name":"Coding (social sciences)","level":2,"score":0.36090001463890076},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.32100000977516174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43126263","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128751","display_name":"Source code","level":2,"score":0.3208000063896179},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777904410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397","display_name":"Software","level":2,"score":0.3199999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97541855","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q830687","display_name":"Reinforcement learning","level":2,"score":0.28870001435279846},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C103278499","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q254465","display_name":"Similarity (geometry)","level":3,"score":0.28290000557899475},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11413529","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8366","display_name":"Algorithm","level":1,"score":0.2761000096797943},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C150292731","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1342704","display_name":"Code review","level":5,"score":0.2655999958515167},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.2556000053882599},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C51929080","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2425187","display_name":"Codebase","level":3,"score":0.2547000050544739}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.01849","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"While":[0],"Large":[1],"Language":[2],"Models":[3],"(LLMs)":[4],"have":[5],"demonstrated":[6],"exceptional":[7],"proficiency":[8],"in":[9],"code":[10,27,113,211],"completion,":[11,212],"they":[12],"typically":[13],"adhere":[14],"to":[15,62,104,190],"a":[16,88,116,139,168,201,205],"Hard":[17],"Completion":[18,86],"(HC)":[19],"paradigm,":[20],"compelling":[21],"the":[22,40,47,63,123,136],"generation":[23],"of":[24,34,42,46,138],"fully":[25],"concrete":[26],"even":[28],"amidst":[29],"insufficient":[30],"context.":[31],"Our":[32,197],"analysis":[33],"3":[35],"million":[36],"real-world":[37,163],"interactions":[38],"exposes":[39],"limitations":[41],"this":[43,80,155],"strategy:":[44],"61%":[45],"generated":[48],"suggestions":[49],"were":[50],"either":[51],"edited":[52],"after":[53],"acceptance":[54],"or":[55],"rejected":[56],"despite":[57],"exhibiting":[58],"over":[59],"80%":[60],"similarity":[61],"user's":[64],"subsequent":[65],"code,":[66],"suggesting":[67],"that":[68,91,125,182,214],"models":[69,180],"frequently":[70],"make":[71],"erroneous":[72],"predictions":[73],"at":[74,99],"specific":[75],"token":[76],"positions.":[77],"Motivated":[78],"by":[79,94,157],"observation,":[81],"we":[82,111,134],"propose":[83],"Adaptive":[84],"Placeholder":[85],"(APC),":[87],"collaborative":[89],"framework":[90,156,208],"extends":[92],"HC":[93,195],"strategically":[95],"outputting":[96],"explicit":[97],"placeholders":[98,127],"high-entropy":[100],"positions,":[101],"allowing":[102],"users":[103],"fill":[105],"directly":[106],"via":[107],"IDE":[108],"navigation.":[109],"Theoretically,":[110],"formulate":[112],"completion":[114,224],"as":[115],"cost-minimization":[117],"problem":[118],"under":[119],"uncertainty.":[120],"Premised":[121],"on":[122],"observation":[124],"filling":[126],"incurs":[128],"lower":[129,148],"cost":[130,150],"than":[131,151],"correcting":[132],"errors,":[133],"prove":[135],"existence":[137],"critical":[140],"entropy":[141],"threshold":[142],"above":[143],"which":[144],"APC":[145,183],"achieves":[146],"strictly":[147],"expected":[149,185],"HC.":[152],"We":[153],"instantiate":[154],"constructing":[158],"training":[159,207],"data":[160],"from":[161,188],"filtered":[162],"edit":[164],"logs":[165],"and":[166,204],"design":[167],"cost-based":[169],"reward":[170],"function":[171],"for":[172,209],"reinforcement":[173],"learning.":[174],"Extensive":[175],"evaluations":[176],"across":[177],"1.5B--14B":[178],"parameter":[179],"demonstrate":[181],"reduces":[184],"editing":[186],"costs":[187],"19%":[189],"50%":[191],"while":[192],"preserving":[193],"standard":[194],"performance.":[196],"work":[198],"provides":[199],"both":[200],"theoretical":[202],"foundation":[203],"practical":[206],"uncertainty-aware":[210],"demonstrating":[213],"adaptive":[215],"abstention":[216],"can":[217],"be":[218],"learned":[219],"end-to-end":[220],"without":[221],"sacrificing":[222],"conventional":[223],"quality.":[225]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T06:00:48.157686","created_date":"2026-06-27T00:00:00"}