A Study on Event Races in Promise-Based JavaScript Applications

• Grant number: 25/00910-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computing Methodologies and Techniques
• Principal Investigator: André Takeshi Endo
• Grantee: Pedro Vinícius Guandalini Vicente
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

JavaScript is a multi-paradigm programming language used by millions of developers to build computer systems. When paired with the Node.js runtime environment, JavaScript powers the infrastructure of many large-scale applications across various industries due to its extensive ecosystem of packages and scalability support. However, JavaScript applications may be subjected to a specific race condition, observed in event-driven architectures, known as an event race. This condition is often responsible for producing unexpected results, potentially causing software defects. Nonetheless, the existing literature on event races is predominantly focused on a callback-based style. In this context, the extent of this problem in modern JavaScript applications that heavily rely on Promises for handling asynchronous behavior remains unknown. Thus, the goal of this research project is to investigate event races in Promise-based JavaScript applications. Initially, a study will be conducted to mine bugs related to event races in open-source applications on GitHub. At this stage, applications utilizing modern resources for handling asynchronous behavior, such as Promises and Async-Await syntax, will be selected. The mined event races will be characterized, and mechanisms will be proposed to extend existing tools to detect event races related to the use of Promises.