Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2498/cit.1001919
An Empirical Investigation of Code Smell ‘Deception’ and Research Contextualisation through Paul’s Criteria
Steve Counsell
; School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
Hamza Hamza
; School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
Rob M. Hierons
; School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
Abstract
Code smells represent code decay and as such should be eradicated from a system to prevent future maintenance problems. A range of twenty smells described by Fowler and Beck each require varying numbers and combinations of refactorings in order to be eradicated
— but exactly how many are needed when we consider related, nested refactorings is unclear. In this paper, we enumerate these refactorings when categorised according to Mantyla’s smell taxonomy. We then show how, ironically, the ‘smelliest’ of smells (and hence most difficult to eradicate) are actually those best understood by developers. So, code smells are not only unpleasant
to have around, but are deceptive in their nature and make-up. The study is thus a warning against attempting to eradicate what are seemingly easily eradicated smells — these are often the smells the developer needs to be most wary of. Finally, we incorporate the answers to six questions suggested by Paul for ‘How to write a paper
properly’ to position the paper in a reflective way.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
63899
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2010.
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