Evaluating inheritance depth on the maintainability of object-oriented software |
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Authors: | John Daly Andrew Brooks James Miller Marc Roper Murray Wood |
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Affiliation: | (1) Fraunhofer Institut (IESE), Sauerwiesen 6, D-67661 Kaiserslautern, Germany;(2) Department of Computer Science, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, 25 Richmond Street, G1 1XH Glasgow, United Kingdom;(3) Department of Computer Science, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, 25 Richmond Street, G1 1XH Glasgow, United Kingdom;(4) Department of Computer Science, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, 25 Richmond Street, G1 1XH Glasgow, United Kingdom;(5) Department of Computer Science, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, 25 Richmond Street, G1 1XH Glasgow, United Kingdom |
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Abstract: | This empirical research was undertaken as part of a multi-method programme of research to investigate unsupported claims made of object-oriented technology. A series of subject-based laboratory experiments, including an internal replication, tested the effect of inheritance depth on the maintainability of object-oriented software. Subjects were timed performing identical maintenance tasks on object-oriented software with a hierarchy of three levels of inheritance depth and equivalent object-based software with no inheritance. This was then replicated with more experienced subjects. In a second experiment of similar design, subjects were timed performing identical maintenance tasks on object-oriented software with a hierarchy of five levels of inheritance depth and the equivalent object-based software.The collected data showed that subjects maintaining object-oriented software with three levels of inheritance depth performed the maintenance tasks significantly quicker than those maintaining equivalent object-based software with no inheritance. In contrast, subjects maintaining the object-oriented software with five levels of inheritance depth took longer, on average, than the subjects maintaining the equivalent object-based software (although statistical significance was not obtained). Subjects' source code solutions and debriefing questionnaires provided some evidence suggesting subjects began to experience difficulties with the deeper inheritance hierarchy.It is not at all obvious that object-oriented software is going to be more maintainable in the long run. These findings are sufficiently important that attempts to verify the results should be made by independent researchers. |
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Keywords: | empirical experiments inheritance maintenance object-oriented |
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