Search is an important technique in program synthesis that allows for adaptive strategies such as focusing on particular search directions based on execution results. Several prior works have demonstrated that neural models are effective at guiding program synthesis searches. However, a common drawback of those approaches is the inability to handle iterative loops, higher-order functions, or lambda functions, thus limiting prior neural searches from synthesizing longer and more general programs. We address this gap by designing a search algorithm called LambdaBeam that can construct arbitrary lambda functions that compose operations within a given DSL. We create semantic vector representations of the execution behavior of the lambda functions and train a neural policy network to choose which lambdas to construct during search, and pass them as arguments to higher-order functions to perform looping computations. Our experiments show that LambdaBeam outperforms neural, symbolic, and LLM-based techniques in an integer list manipulation domain.

Search is an important technique in program synthesis that allows for adaptive strategies such as focusing on particular search directions based on execution results. Several prior works have demonstrated that neural models are effective at guiding program synthesis searches. However, a common drawback of those approaches is the inability to handle iterative loops, higher-order functions, or lambda functions, thus limiting prior neural searches from synthesizing longer and more general programs. We address this gap by designing a search algorithm called LambdaBeam that can construct arbitrary lambda functions that compose operations within a given DSL. We create semantic vector representations of the execution behavior of the lambda functions and train a neural policy network to choose which lambdas to construct during search, and pass them as arguments to higher-order functions to perform looping computations.

Search is an important technique in program synthesis that allows for adaptive strategies such as focusing on particular search directions based on execution results. Several prior works have demonstrated that neural models are effective at guiding program synthesis searches. However, a common drawback of those approaches is the inability to handle iterative loops, higher-order functions, or lambda functions, thus limiting prior neural searches from synthesizing longer and more general programs. We address this gap by designing a search algorithm called LambdaBeam that can construct arbitrary lambda functions that compose operations within a given DSL. We create semantic vector representations of the execution behavior of the lambda functions and train a neural policy network to choose which lambdas to construct during search, and pass them as arguments to higher-order functions to perform looping computations.

LambdaBeam is a state-of-the-art execution-guided algorithm for program synthesis that incorporates higher-order functions, lambda functions, and iterative loops into the Domain-Specific Language (DSL). LambdaBeam generates every program from the start. Yet, many program blocks or subprograms occur frequently in a given domain, e.g., loops to traverse a list. Thus, repeating programs can be used to enhance the synthesis algorithm. However, LambdaBeam fails to leverage this potential. For this purpose, we introduce AbstractBeam: A novel program synthesis framework that employs Library Learning to identify such program repetitions, integrates them into the DSL, and thus utilizes their potential to boost LambdaBeam's synthesis algorithm. Our experimental evaluations demonstrate that AbstractBeam significantly improves LambdaBeam's performance in the LambdaBeam integer list manipulation domain. Additionally, AbstractBeam's program generation is more efficient compared to LambdaBeam's synthesis. Finally, our findings indicate that Library Learning is effective in domains not specifically crafted to highlight its benefits.