Visualizations for the evolution of Variant-Rich Systems: A systematic mapping study
Date
2023-02Keywords
Variant-rich systems
Software product lines
Visualization
Evolution
Maintenance
Mapping study
Abstract
Context:
Variant-Rich Systems (VRSs), such as Software Product Lines or variants created through clone & own, aim at reusing existing assets. The long lifespan of families of variants, and the scale of both the code base and the workforce make VRS maintenance and evolution a challenge. Visualization tools are a needed companion.
Objective:
We aim at mapping the current state of visualization interventions in the area of VRS evolution. We tackle evolution in both functionality and architecture. Three research questions are posed: What sort of analysis is being conducted to assess VRS evolution? (Analysis perspective); What sort of visualizations are displayed? (Visualization perspective); What is the research maturity of the reported interventions? (Maturity perspective).
Methods:
We performed a systematic mapping study including automated search in digital libraries, expert knowledge, and snowballing.
Results:
The study reports on 41 visualization approaches to cope with VRS ...
Type
article