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arXiv · 2508.03639

A Design Recipe and Recipe-Based Errors for Regular Expressions

Marco T. Morazán·Shamil Dzhatdoyev·Josephine Des Rosiers·Tijana Minić·Andrés M. Garced·David Anthony K. Fields
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Abstract

This article presents a novel framework to provide Formal Languages and Automata Theory students design support for the development of regular expressions. This framework includes a design recipe for regular expressions and a customized error messaging system. The error messaging system produces recipe-based errors that include the step of the design recipe not successfully completed. Furthermore, the error messages follow the established practices of being concise, succinct, jargon-free, and nonprescriptive. In addition, a shorthand syntax developed for writing unit tests is described. The in-class use of the design recipe is illustrated, two debugging sessions using the described system are discussed, and the implementation of the error messaging system is briefly sketched.

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BibTeXRIS

Marco T. Morazán, Shamil Dzhatdoyev, Josephine Des Rosiers, Tijana Minić, Andrés M. Garced, David Anthony K. Fields. 2025-08-05. A Design Recipe and Recipe-Based Errors for Regular Expressions. https://doi.org/10.4204/eptcs.424.2

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