A study about the impact of code annotations in software evolution

• Grant number: 19/12743-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2020 - June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computer Systems
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Miranda Meirelles
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Miranda Meirelles
• Host Institution: Instituto de Matemática e Estatística (IME). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Eduardo Martins Guerra ; Fábio Fagundes Silveira ; Phyllipe de Souza Lima Francisco ; Tiago Silva da Silva
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/00071-1 - A study about the impact of code annotations in software evolution, BP.TT

Abstract

Code annotations are a Java programming language feature that allows you to introduce metadata into code elements, such as methods and classes. The annotations were introduced in version 5 and are used extensively by applications, primarily in frameworks and APIs for enterprise applications. However, few studies investigate the impact of annotations on software maintenance. This research project intends to attack this problem in 3 distinct fronts: (a) historical analysis of open source projects and INPE projects to evaluate the evolution of annotations within the code; (b) execution of experiments that evaluate the understanding of similar codes with and without annotations; and (c) creation of a tool that uses metrics and software visualization to allow the evaluation of annotations usage within a project. From these results, it will be possible to study the impacts that code annotations bring to software evolution, allowing to identify good and bad practices in the use of this programming language feature, as well as to provide a tool that facilitates this analysis in real projects. The tool developed will be applied in software developed by INPE, bringing direct benefits to the teams that use it. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LIMA, PHYLLIPE; MELEGATI, JORGE; GOMES, EVERALDO; PEREIRA, NATHALYA STEFHANY; GUERRA, EDUARDO; MEIRELLES, PAULO. CADV: A software visualization approach for code annotations distribution. INFORMATION AND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, v. 154, p. 16-pg., 2023-02-01. (19/12743-4)

LEITE, LEONARDO; LAGO, NELSON; MELO, CLAUDIA; KON, FABIO; MEIRELLES, PAULO. A Theory of Organizational Structures for Development and Infrastructure Professionals. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, v. 49, n. 4, p. 14-pg., 2023-04-01. (19/12743-4, 14/50937-1, 15/24485-9)

ALVES, ISAQUE; LEITE, LEONARDO A. F.; MEIRELLES, PAULO; KON, FABIO; AGUIAR, CARLA SILVA ROCHA. Practices for Managing Machine Learning Products: A Multivocal Literature Review. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT, v. N/A, p. 31-pg., 2023-07-06. (19/12743-4, 14/50937-1, 15/24485-9)

LIMA, PHYLLIPE; PEREIRA, NATHALYA STEFHANY; GOMES, EVERALDO; GUERRA, EDUARDO; MEIRELLES, PAULO. Annotation Visualizer: A software visualization tool for code annotations. SOFTWARE IMPACTS, v. 16, p. 4-pg., 2023-03-25. (19/12743-4)