Computer Science > Software Engineering
[Submitted on 22 Feb 2023 (v1), last revised 24 Feb 2023 (this version, v2)]
Title:Rename Chains: An Exploratory Study on the Occurrence and Characteristics of Identifiers Undergoing Multiple Renamings
View PDFAbstract:Identifier names play a significant role in program comprehension activities, with high-quality names improving developer productivity and system quality. To correct poor-quality names, developers rename identifiers to reflect their intended purpose better. However, renames do not always result in high-quality, long-lasting names; in many cases, developers perform multiple rename operations on the same identifier throughout the system's lifetime. In this paper, we report on a large-scale empirical study that examines the occurrence of identifiers undergoing multiple renames (i.e., rename chains). Our findings show the presence of rename chains in almost every project, with methods typically having more rename chains than other identifier types. Furthermore, it is usually the same developer responsible for creating all renames within a chain, with most names maintaining the same grammatical structure. Understanding rename chains can help us provide stronger advice, and targeted research, on how to craft high-quality, long-lasting identifiers.
Submission history
From: Anthony Peruma [view email][v1] Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:17:55 UTC (178 KB)
[v2] Fri, 24 Feb 2023 01:55:44 UTC (178 KB)
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