Program synthesis: an automationist's view

Program synthesis as defined by the author is the translation from a task specification to the code that can perform that task. The author looks at the range that this can encompass with respect to automation and discusses how the naive view can differ from what is either attainable or desirable. He examines the work that has been done as well as some current projects. In doing this he looks at trends in program synthesis (and automatic programming in general) on the bases of generality, range, and degree of automation and discusses some of the underlying techniques.<
>