# Autonomous Issue Resolver: Towards Zero-Touch Code Maintenance

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.08492 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.08492/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 18 of its 41 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 9 Dec 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 18 of 18)

- [ReAct: Synergizing Reasoning and Acting in Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.03629/) (2022)
- [Evaluating Large Language Models Trained on Code](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.03374/) (2021)
- [Reflexion: Language Agents with Verbal Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.11366/) (2023)
- [SWE-bench: Can Language Models Resolve Real-World GitHub Issues?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.06770/) (2023)
- [SWE-agent: Agent-Computer Interfaces Enable Automated Software Engineering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.15793/) (2024)
- [Competition-Level Code Generation with AlphaCode](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.07814/) (2022)
- [OpenHands: An Open Platform for AI Software Developers as Generalist Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.16741/) (2024)
- [AlphaEvolve: A coding agent for scientific and algorithmic discovery](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.13131/) (2025)
- [Mastering Chess and Shogi by Self-Play with a General Reinforcement Learning Algorithm](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1712.01815/) (2017)
- [AutoCodeRover: Autonomous Program Improvement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.05427/) (2024)
- [RepoGraph: Enhancing AI Software Engineering with Repository-level Code Graph](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.14684/) (2024)
- [LocAgent: Graph-Guided LLM Agents for Code Localization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.09089/) (2025)
- [Evaluating the Code Quality of AI-Assisted Code Generation Tools: An Empirical Study on GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, and ChatGPT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.10778/) (2023)
- [CodexGraph: Bridging Large Language Models and Code Repositories via Code Graph Databases](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.03910/) (2024)
- [Getafix: Learning to Fix Bugs Automatically](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.06111/) (2019)
- [Enhancing repository-level software repair via repository-aware knowledge graphs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.21710/) (2025)
- [Code Graph Model (CGM): A Graph-Integrated Large Language Model for Repository-Level Software Engineering Tasks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.16901/) (2025)
- [A Survey of LLM-based Automated Program Repair: Taxonomies, Design Paradigms, and Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.23749/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advances in Large Language Models have revolutionized function-level code generation; however, repository-scale Automated Program Repair (APR) remains a significant challenge. Current approaches typically employ a control-centric paradigm, forcing agents to navigate complex directory structures and irrelevant control logic. In this paper, we propose a paradigm shift from the standard Code Property Graphs (CPGs) to the concept of Data Transformation Graph (DTG) that inverts the topology by modeling data states as nodes and functions as edges, enabling agents to trace logic defects through data lineage rather than control flow. We introduce a multi-agent framework that reconciles data integrity navigation with control flow logic. Our theoretical analysis and case studies demonstrate that this approach resolves the "Semantic Trap" inherent in standard RAG systems in modern coding agents. We provide a comprehensive implementation in the form of Autonomous Issue Resolver (AIR), a self-improvement system for zero-touch code maintenance that utilizes neuro-symbolic reasoning and uses the DTG structure for scalable logic repair. Our approach has demonstrated good results on several SWE benchmarks, reaching a resolution rate of 87.1% on SWE-Verified benchmark. Our approach directly addresses the core limitations of current AI code-assistant tools and tackles the critical need for a more robust foundation for our increasingly software-dependent world.