In symbolic execution, state merging refers to merging paths to avoid path-explosion (which is the Achilles heel of symbolic execution). This moves symbolic execution closer to model checking on the symbolic evaluation spectrum.
Notes related to State merging
Case splitting, Verification performance of code, Verification profiling of code, Verifier performance
Papers related to State merging
- Finding code that explodes under symbolic evaluation [bornholt:oopsla:2018]
- TracerX: Dynamic symbolic execution with interpolation [jaffar:arxiv:2020]
- Efficient state merging in symbolic execution [kuznetsov:pldi:2012]
- A lightweight symbolic virtual machine for solver-aided host languages [torlak:pldi:2014]
- Boost symbolic execution using dynamic state merging and forking [zhang:apsec:2018]