COMVIP-SC - Tackling Violations of API Usage Patterns in Configurable Software Systems

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) have become widely adopted in software development. As a result, it is common for API functions to be used in various contexts, as well as frequently applied in combination, following specific rules and usage patterns. However, it remains uncertain whether violations of these usage patterns occur in configurable systems that are implemented with preprocessing directives. Even more concerning, it is unknown which quality attributes are impacted by these violations. Thus, the aim of this research project is to investigate whether and how violations of API usage patterns occur in configurable systems due to preprocessing directives. Furthermore, we intend to identify which quality attributes are impacted by violations of these patterns. Ultimately, our goal is to provide a tool that integrates with a development IDE to assist developers in identifying violations of API usage patterns during coding.

Research supported by: CNPq - Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development