Can the Computer Correct Our Mistakes?

- By Victoria Kuk

In her talk at Constructor Institute’s Research Day, Victoria Kuk addressed a common and often time-consuming aspect of programming: debugging. She posed a compelling question: Can computers help fix our coding mistakes? Focusing on what she calls “low-hanging bugs,” Kuk explained that these are minor, localized code errors that are simple to correct (e.g., one symbol, word, or line) but can still take developers hours to identify. Her research revealed that roughly 14% of bugs in real-world projects like Linux and Eclipse fall into this category, making their automated detection and correction a worthwhile pursuit.

To tackle this, Kuk’s team is building a structured bug-and-fix database, standardizing bug descriptions and solutions across programming languages. They’ve defined categories such as incorrect variables, misused logical operators, and boundary condition errors. Their ultimate aim is to develop tools that can not only detect such bugs but also suggest or apply fixes automatically—an innovation that could transform debugging workflows and improve software quality at scale. The project is ongoing, with active work on database development, language-specific implementation, and community collaboration.