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How do developers react to API evolution? A large-scale empirical study.

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Title: How do developers react to API evolution? A large-scale empirical study.
Authors: Hora, André, Robbes, Romain, Valente, Marco Tulio, Anquetil, Nicolas, Etien, Anne, Ducasse, Stéphane
Source: Software Quality Journal; Mar2018, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p161-191, 31p
Subject Terms: Application program interfaces, Computer software development, Empirical research, Functionality doctrine (Trademarks), Ecosystems
Abstract: Software engineering research now considers that no system is an island, but it is part of an ecosystem involving other systems, developers, and users. When a framework or a library evolves, its clients often must adapt. For example, client developers might need to adapt to functionalities, client systems might need to be adapted to a new API, and client users might need to adapt to a new user interface. The consequences of these changes are yet unclear: what proportion of the ecosystem might be expected to react, how long might it take for a change to diffuse in the ecosystem, do all clients react in the same way? This paper reports an exploratory study aimed at observing API evolution and its impact on a large software ecosystem, Pharo, which has about 3600 distinct systems, and 6 years of evolution. We analyze 118 API changes in the context of method replacement and suggestion, and answer research questions regarding the magnitude, duration, extension, and consistency of such changes in the ecosystem. The results of this study help to characterize the impact of API evolution in large software ecosystems and provide the basis to better understand how such impact can be alleviated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Software Quality Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
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  – Url: https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1007/s11219-016-9344-4
    Name: EDS - Springer Nature Journals (s7799221)
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  Data: Software Quality Journal; Mar2018, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p161-191, 31p
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Application+program+interfaces%22">Application program interfaces</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software+development%22">Computer software development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empirical+research%22">Empirical research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Functionality+doctrine+%28Trademarks%29%22">Functionality doctrine (Trademarks)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecosystems%22">Ecosystems</searchLink>
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  Data: Software engineering research now considers that no system is an island, but it is part of an ecosystem involving other systems, developers, and users. When a framework or a library evolves, its clients often must adapt. For example, client developers might need to adapt to functionalities, client systems might need to be adapted to a new API, and client users might need to adapt to a new user interface. The consequences of these changes are yet unclear: what proportion of the ecosystem might be expected to react, how long might it take for a change to diffuse in the ecosystem, do all clients react in the same way? This paper reports an exploratory study aimed at observing API evolution and its impact on a large software ecosystem, Pharo, which has about 3600 distinct systems, and 6 years of evolution. We analyze 118 API changes in the context of method replacement and suggestion, and answer research questions regarding the magnitude, duration, extension, and consistency of such changes in the ecosystem. The results of this study help to characterize the impact of API evolution in large software ecosystems and provide the basis to better understand how such impact can be alleviated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Software Quality Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1007/s11219-016-9344-4
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              Text: Mar2018
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