The way you put it, it sounds like you can do what ever you'd like so long as you come up with something a little extra.
Are there sample "this is what a thesis for a PhD should look like" papers? Where is the standardization?
Are there sample "this is what a thesis for a PhD should look like" papers? Where is the standardization?
Sure. Best way to get an idea is to just look up previous theses. They're basically all available online. "phd thesis cs" on google is a good place to start and just filter out the non-top-tier departments. Although these days many people just take their publications, reformat them, and that's their thesis (this is more common in the US and much less common in Europe). This saves a lot of time and makes people a lot more productive.
There is no standardisation. The level you are assessed against is set by your examiner.
Don't focus on the thesis or the software - those are just ways to express your novel idea, which is what is being assessed.
But yes you can do whatever you want, as long as you have a good idea and can show it works.