Software Analysis with Package Level Modularization Metrics

Abstract

Increasing complexity of software systems require extensive maintenance through decomposition of source code into appropriate abstractions to achieve effective modularization. An optimal modularization of object-oriented software insuring low coupling and high cohesion is perceived as a challenging task. In this paper, we present empirical perspective of new intermodule coupling based modularization metrics to assess their utility. In particular, we explore impact of correlation between these design-based modularization metrics and external quality attributes of software systems. Our experimental study covers 34 open source java software systems and shows that inter-module coupling based modularization correlates with existing metrics of modularization and also bear substantial relationship with vital quality attributes of software design.