Bringing Hybrid Consistency Closer to Programmers

Gonçalo Marcelino, Valter Balegas, Carla Ferreira

Abstract: Hybrid consistency is a new consistency model that tries to combine the benefits of weak and strong consistency. To implement hybrid consistency, programmers have to identify conflicting operations in applications and instrument them, which is a difficult and error prone task. More recent approaches automatize the process through the use of static analysis over a specification of the application. In this paper we present a new tool that is under development that tries to make the technology more accessible for programmers. Our tool is based on the same well-founded principles of existing work, but uses an intermediate verification language, Boogie, that improves the tool usability and scope in a number of ways. Using a general language for writing specifications makes specifications easier to write and improves expressiveness. Also, we leverage the language to add a library of CRDTs, which allows the programmer to solve conflicts without coordination. We discuss the features that we have already implemented and how they contribute to improve the technology.