Remodularizing Java programs for improved locality of feature implementations in source code

Modularization of Legacy Features by Relocation and Reconceptualization: How Much is Enough?

“…Secondly, we have used the recovered names of the features to apply our dynamic feature-location mechanism described in [16]. This approach to feature location requires annotating socalled feature-entry points in the source code of an investigated program in order to guide dynamic analysis.…”

“…The used approach, introduced and discussed in full detail in [16], is based on multi-objective optimization of a set of package-granularity design criteria by means of class relocation. This is done by encoding assignments of classes to packages as chromosomes in a multi-objective genetic algorithm that optimizes the population of chromosomes according to a set of objectives expressed as metrics.…”

“…Restructuring of a legacy application to localize and separate feature implementations in terms of structural units is known as feature-oriented refactoring [15] or feature-oriented remodularization [16]. One of the important conceptual differences among the existing approaches to doing so is the treatment of legacy classes.…”

“…We call this process reconceptualization. On the other end of the spectrum, there are approaches that preserve legacy classes and automatically move them among packages to reduce scattering and tangling [16]. We call this process relocation.…”

Meta-Level Runtime Feature Awareness for Java

“…JAwareness is created as an extension to the FeatureTracer dynamic analysis library, whose implementation details can be found in [7]. In this short, paper we will give a high-level overview of how JAwareness works, and how it is to be used and only discuss essential implementation details.…”