Decay and grime buildup in evolving object oriented design patterns
Date
2009
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Abstract
Software designs decay as systems, uses, and operational environments evolve. As software ages the original realizations of design patterns may remain in place, while participants in design pattern realizations accumulate grime-non-pattern-related code. This research examines the extent to which software designs actually decay, rot and accumulate grime by studying the aging of design patterns in successful object oriented systems. By focusing on design patterns we can identify code constructs that conflict with well formed pattern structures. Design pattern rot is the deterioration of the structural integrity of a design pattern realization. Grime buildup in design patterns is a form of decay that does not break the structural integrity of a pattern but can reduce system testability and adaptability. Grime is measured using various types of indices developed and adapted for this research. Grime indices track the internal structural changes in a design pattern realization and the code that surrounds the realization. In general we find that the original pattern functionality remains, and pattern decay is primarily due to grime and not rot. We characterize the nature of grime buildup in design patterns, provide quantifiable evidence of such grime buildup, and find that grime can be classified at organizational, modular and class levels. Organizational level grime refers to namespace and physical file constitution and structure. Metrics at this level help us understand if rot and grime buildup play a role in fomenting disorganization of design patterns. Measures of modular level grime can help us to understand how the coupling of classes belonging to a design pattern develops. As dependencies between design pattern components increase without regard for pattern intent, the modularity of a pattern deteriorates. Class level grime is focused on understanding how classes that participate in design patterns are modified as systems evolve. For each level we use different measurements and surrogate indicators to help analyze the consequences that grime buildup has on testability and adaptability of design patterns. Test cases put in place during the design phase and initial implementation of a project can become ineffective as the system matures. The evolution of a design due to added functionality or defect fixing increases the coupling and dependencies between classes that must be tested. We show that as systems age, the growth of grime and the appearance of anti-patterns (a form of decay) increase testing requirements. Additionally, evidence suggests that, as pattern realizations evolve, the levels of efferent and afferent coupling of the classifiers that participate in patterns increase. Increases in coupling measurements suggest dependencies to and from other software artifacts thus reducing the adaptability and comprehensibility of the pattern. In general we find that grime buildup is most serious at a modular level. We find little evidence of class and organizational grime. Furthermore, we find that modular grime appears to have higher impacts on testability than adaptability of design patterns. Identifying grime helps developers direct refactoring efforts early in the evolution of software, thus keeping costs in check by minimizing the effects of software aging. Long term goals of this research are to curtail the effects of decay by providing the understanding and means necessary to diminish grime buildup.
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Subject
grime buildup
object-oriented evolution
software decay
computer science