research-article

ADAM: External dependency-driven architecture discovery and analysis of quality attributes

Authors:

Dharmalingam Ganesan,

Mikael LindvallAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), Volume 23, Issue 2

Article No.: 17, Pages 1 - 51

https://doi.org/10.1145/2529998

Published: 04 April 2014 Publication History

Abstract

This article introduces the Architecture Discovery and Analysis Method (ADAM). ADAM supports the discovery of module and runtime views as well as the analysis of quality attributes, such as testability, performance, and maintainability, of software systems. The premise of ADAM is that the implementation constructs, architecture constructs, concerns, and quality attributes are all influenced by the external entities (e.g., libraries, frameworks, COTS software) used by the system under analysis. The analysis uses such external dependencies to identify, classify, and review a minimal set of key source-code files supported by a knowledge base of the external entities. Given the benefits of analyzing external dependencies as a way to discover architectures and potential risks, it is demonstrated that dependencies to external entities are useful not only for architecture discovery but also for analysis of quality attributes. ADAM is evaluated using the NASA's Space Network Access System (SNAS). The results show that this method offers systematic guidelines for discovering the architecture and locating potential risks (e.g., low testability and decreased performance) that are hidden deep inside the system implementation. Some generally applicable lessons for developers and analysts, as well as threats to validity are also discussed.

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Cited By

Silva STuyishime ASantilli TPelliccione PIovino L(2023)Quality Metrics in Software Architecture2023 IEEE 20th International Conference on Software Architecture (ICSA)10.1109/ICSA56044.2023.00014(58-69)Online publication date: Mar-2023
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSA56044.2023.00014
Ntentos EZdun UPlakidas KGenfer PGeiger SMeixner SHasselbring W(2021)Detector-based component model abstraction for microservice-based systemsComputing10.1007/s00607-021-01002-z103:11(2521-2551)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s00607-021-01002-z
Haitzer TNavarro EZdun U(2017)Reconciling software architecture and source code in support of software evolutionJournal of Systems and Software10.1016/j.jss.2016.10.012123(119-144)Online publication date: Jan-2017
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2016.10.012

Index Terms

ADAM: External dependency-driven architecture discovery and analysis of quality attributes
1. Software and its engineering

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Published In

cover image ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology

ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology Volume 23, Issue 2

March 2014

319 pages

ISSN:1049-331X

EISSN:1557-7392

DOI:10.1145/2600788

Editor:
David S. Rosenblum

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2014 ACM.

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Association for Computing Machinery

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Publication History

Published: 04 April 2014

Accepted: 01 September 2013

Revised: 01 August 2013

Received: 01 March 2013

Published in TOSEM Volume 23, Issue 2

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Cited By

Silva STuyishime ASantilli TPelliccione PIovino L(2023)Quality Metrics in Software Architecture2023 IEEE 20th International Conference on Software Architecture (ICSA)10.1109/ICSA56044.2023.00014(58-69)Online publication date: Mar-2023
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSA56044.2023.00014
Ntentos EZdun UPlakidas KGenfer PGeiger SMeixner SHasselbring W(2021)Detector-based component model abstraction for microservice-based systemsComputing10.1007/s00607-021-01002-z103:11(2521-2551)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s00607-021-01002-z
Haitzer TNavarro EZdun U(2017)Reconciling software architecture and source code in support of software evolutionJournal of Systems and Software10.1016/j.jss.2016.10.012123(119-144)Online publication date: Jan-2017
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2016.10.012

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