RuntimePrüfung

RuntimePrüfung is a German term that translates to "runtime check" or "runtime verification" in English. It refers to the process of validating the correctness of a program or system while it is executing. This is in contrast to static analysis, which examines code without running it. Runtime checks are employed to detect errors that may not be apparent during compilation or initial testing, such as issues related to memory management, race conditions, or unexpected input values.

These checks can be implemented in various ways. Some are built into programming languages or their runtime environments, like array bounds checking or null pointer dereference detection. Others are added by developers through specific libraries or tools, enabling them to monitor specific conditions or invariants of their application during operation. The goal of runtime checks is to identify defects that could lead to crashes, incorrect behavior, or security vulnerabilities.

While effective in catching certain types of bugs, runtime checks can introduce performance overhead because they require extra computations and memory accesses. Therefore, they are often used during development and testing phases, and sometimes selectively enabled in production environments for critical components or under specific conditions. The information gathered from runtime checks is crucial for debugging and improving the reliability and robustness of software.