A Systematic Review about Large Language Models (LLMs) applied to Code Generation

Abstract

Large Language Models (LLMs) for code generation represent a significant advancement in software development by boosting productivity, simplifying repetitive tasks, enabling automated testing, and promoting best practices. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of studies focused on LLMs applied to code generation. The review enhances understanding of the capabilities and limitations of these models, outlining both their benefits and challenges. The review protocol included a search on the Google Scholar database using relevant keywords related to LLMs and code generation. A total of 112 articles were initially retrieved, from which 15 were selected based on relevance and quality criteria. Of these, 8 were analyzed in depth to evaluate various approaches and outcomes, while the remaining 7 provided the theoretical foundation for the study. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge in the field and supports future research and applications of LLMs in software engineering.