Researchers at MIT’s CSAIL are charting a more "modular" path ahead for software development, breaking systems into "concepts" and "synchronizations" to make code clearer, safer, and easier for LLMs to generate.
MIT researchers are proposing a new software development approach centered around "concepts" and "synchronizations" to address issues of complexity, safety, and LLM compatibility in modern software.
Concepts are self-contained units of functionality (like "sharing" or "liking") with their own state and actions, whereas synchronizations are explicit rules defining how these concepts interact, expressed in a simple, LLM-friendly language.
The benefits include ncreased modularity, transparency, easier understanding for both humans and AI, improved safety, and potential for automated software development. Real-world application: has been demonstrated by successfully restructuring features (liking, commenting, sharing) to be more modular and legible.
Future includes concept catalogs, a shift in software architecture, and improved collaboration through shared, well-tested concepts.
MIT researchers are proposing a new software development approach centered around "concepts" and "synchronizations" to address issues of complexity, safety, and LLM compatibility in modern software.
Concepts are self-contained units of functionality (like "sharing" or "liking") with their own state and actions, whereas synchronizations are explicit rules defining how these concepts interact, expressed in a simple, LLM-friendly language.
The benefits include ncreased modularity, transparency, easier understanding for both humans and AI, improved safety, and potential for automated software development. Real-world application: has been demonstrated by successfully restructuring features (liking, commenting, sharing) to be more modular and legible.
Future includes concept catalogs, a shift in software architecture, and improved collaboration through shared, well-tested concepts.
