Empirical Studies on Software Refactoring Techniques in the Industrial Setting

Al, Abdullah

doi:10.17762/turcomat.v12i3.995

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…To classify refactoring methods according to certain software quality characteristics, studies [35,44] exclusively utilized the refactoring methods for small software systems at the level of classes. As a consequence, they suggested that the usage of the small-size system may be an issue when examining how refactoring methods affect the system level [31,35,44,45]. Refactoring methods were utilized at the class level by Kumari and Saha [46], who highlighted that outcomes may vary when used at the system level.…”

Section: B Software Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

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Optimized Refactoring Mechanisms to Improve Quality Characteristics in Object-Oriented Systems

Almogahed,

Mahdin,

Omar

et al. 2023

IEEE Access

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Refactoring has emerged as a predominant approach to augmenting software product quality. However, empirical evidence suggests that not all dimensions of software quality experience unending enhancements through refactoring. Current scholarly explorations reveal significant variances in the impacts of diverse refactoring methods, with potential adverse effects and contradictions surfacing concerning software quality. Consequently, such disparities render the advantages of refactoring contentious, culminating in challenges for software developers in the selection of optimal refactoring methods to ameliorate software quality. Existing literature lacks an in-depth exploration of the reasons behind the contrasting impacts of refactoring methods on quality enhancement or the development of refined protocols for employing these techniques. Therefore, this research aims to explore, identify, and fine-tune the utilization mechanisms of refactoring methods, empowering software developers to make informed choices for the enhancement of object-oriented systems' quality attributes. Ten commonly employed refactoring methods were singled out for this investigation, each executed independently across five case studies varying in scale (small, medium, and large). The Quality Model for Object-Oriented Design (QMOOD) was employed as the evaluation tool to ascertain the influence of refactoring techniques on quality attributes. The research outcomes denote that the multifarious impacts of refactoring methods on quality attributes are attributed to distinct usage mechanisms of the techniques. These insights assist software practitioners in discerning the optimal utilization of refactoring methods to ameliorate software quality, taking their mechanisms into account. Moreover, these outcomes furnish industry experts with prescriptive guidelines for employing refactoring methods to elevate the quality of object-oriented systems, predicated on the suitable mechanism.

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Section: B Software Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

“…• Refactoring methods have a mixed impact on software quality [30][31][32]. Several studies have discovered that different refactoring methods have varying and distinct effects on software quality characteristics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimized Refactoring Mechanisms to Improve Quality Characteristics in Object-Oriented Systems

Almogahed,

Mahdin,

Omar

et al. 2023

IEEE Access

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“…To determine the most commonly employed refactoring techniques, an extensive review and analysis of existing literature were conducted in this study. Notably, five systematic literature reviews [13], [30], [48], [49], [50] and one systematic mapping study [31] identified frequently utilized refactoring techniques within academic research. In addition, Kim et al [15], [51] identified prevalent refactoring techniques employed in the software engineering practices at Microsoft.…”

Section: ) Identifying the Refactoring Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Refactoring Classification Framework for Efficient Software Maintenance

et al. 2023

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The expenses associated with software maintenance and evolution constitute a significant portion, surpassing more than 80% of the overall costs involved in software development. Refactoring, a widely embraced technique, plays a crucial role in streamlining and minimizing maintenance activities and expenses. However, the effect of refactoring techniques on quality attributes presents inconsistent and conflicting findings, making it challenging for software developers to enhance software quality effectively. Additionally, the absence of a comprehensive framework further complicates the decision-making process for developers when selecting appropriate refactoring techniques aligned with specific design objectives. In light of these considerations, this research aims to introduce a novel framework for classifying refactoring techniques based on their measurable influence on internal quality attributes. Initially, an exploratory study was conducted to identify commonly employed refactoring techniques, followed by an experimental analysis involving five case studies to evaluate the effects of these techniques on internal quality attributes. Subsequently, the framework was constructed based on the outcomes of the exploratory and experimental studies, further reinforced by a multi-case analysis. Comprising three key components, namely the methodology for applying refactoring techniques, the Quality Model for Object-Oriented Design (QMOOD), and the classification scheme for refactoring techniques, this proposed framework serves as a valuable guideline for developers. By comprehending the effect of each refactoring technique on internal quality attributes, developers can make informed decisions and select suitable techniques to enhance specific aspects of their software. Consequently, this framework optimizes developers' time and effort by minimizing the need to weigh the pros and cons of different refactoring techniques, potentially leading to a reduction in maintenance activities and associated costs.

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“…To enhance the internal structure of a software system, refactoring has been deployed. This involves the alteration of the software system in such a manner that it does not alter the external behavior of the code but improves its internal structure [53]. It is an effective tool used to enhance the quality of software, such as maintainability, testability, and understandability.…”

Section: Techniques Geared Towards Software Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies showed that the effects of refactoring techniques on software quality attributes are inconsistent and contradictory [164]. As pointed out in [165] and [53], the inconsistent or contradictory results concerning the effect of refactoring techniques [166] on software quality, is one of the challenges for developers when they use the refactoring techniques to improve software quality. As such, categorization of the refactoring techniques based on their effect on software quality attributes can potentially help developers in achieving their design objectives.…”

Section: Challenges In Implementing Software Securitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Software security models and frameworks: an overview and current trends

Korir¹

2023

World J. Adv. Eng. Technol. Sci.

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The continued dependence on information technology applications has led to the adoption of electronic channels and software applications to support businesses, online transactions and communications. In this perspective, both functional and non-functional requirements are critical for the provision of necessary needs at the early phases of the software development process. This is specifically important in the requirement phase of the software development process. Software security is increasingly becoming a necessity concern in this environment. Unfortunately, security concepts such as access control requirements are mostly considered after the functional requirement definition stage. In addition, majority of the developers and organizations regard security as an activity that can be incorporated after the development of a system. This leads to flaws and security defects in the access control mechanism. Therefore, software security issues must be given higher priority in the early stages of the development process. The aim of this paper is to offer a survey of the software security techniques, frameworks and models that have been developed to deal with these issues. The results obtained indicate that software vulnerabilities have made it possible for attackers to exploit them to cause havoc in computerized systems and has become one of the most critical risks facing modern corporate networks. Since most of these vulnerabilities involve exploitable weaknesses introduced through badly written code, the cyber security community has tried to come up with techniques to enhance software products.

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Empirical Studies on Software Refactoring Techniques in the Industrial Setting

Cited by 11 publications

References 35 publications

Optimized Refactoring Mechanisms to Improve Quality Characteristics in Object-Oriented Systems

Optimized Refactoring Mechanisms to Improve Quality Characteristics in Object-Oriented Systems

A Refactoring Classification Framework for Efficient Software Maintenance

Software security models and frameworks: an overview and current trends

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