Locating features in source code

TLDR

Understanding feature implementation requires identifying the computational units that contribute to it, yet mappings from features to source code are poorly documented and often non‑injective, with units affecting multiple features. The paper presents a semi‑automatic technique to reconstruct the mapping of user‑triggered, observable‑behavior features to computational units. The technique combines dynamic scenario‑based analysis with static analysis to quickly focus on system parts relevant to a specific set of features. The method distinguishes general from specific units, identifies jointly and distinct required units, handles multi‑feature scenarios, and supports incremental exploration while preserving the analyst’s mental map.

Abstract

Understanding the implementation of a certain feature of a system requires identification of the computational units of the system that contribute to this feature. In many cases, the mapping of features to the source code is poorly documented. In this paper, we present a semiautomatic technique that reconstructs the mapping for features that are triggered by the user and exhibit an observable behavior. The mapping is in general not injective; that is, a computational unit may contribute to several features. Our technique allows for the distinction between general and specific computational units with respect to a given set of features. For a set of features, it also identifies jointly and distinctly required computational units. The presented technique combines dynamic and static analyses to rapidly focus on the system's parts that relate to a specific set of features. Dynamic information is gathered based on a set of scenarios invoking the features. Rather than assuming a one-to-one correspondence between features and scenarios as in earlier work, we can now handle scenarios that invoke many features. Furthermore, we show how our method allows incremental exploration of features while preserving the "mental map" the analyst has gained through the analysis.