SArF Map: Visualizing Software Architecture from Feature and Layer Viewpoints

TL;DR

SArF Map is a visualization technique that represents software architecture from feature and layer perspectives using a city metaphor, aiding high-level understanding and decision-making.

Contribution

It introduces a novel visualization method combining feature and layer viewpoints with city metaphors, enhancing comprehension of software architecture.

Findings

Facilitates easy overview of software architecture

Enables quick assessment of packaging design quality

Proven effective in open source and industrial case studies

Abstract

To facilitate understanding the architecture of a software system, we developed SArF Map technique that visualizes software architecture from feature and layer viewpoints using a city metaphor. SArF Map visualizes implicit software features using our previous study, SArF dependency-based software clustering algorithm. Since features are high-level abstraction units of software, a generated map can be directly used for high-level decision making such as reuse and also for communications between developers and non-developer stakeholders. In SArF Map, each feature is visualized as a city block, and classes in the feature are laid out as buildings reflecting their software layer. Relevance between features is represented as streets. Dependency links are visualized lucidly. Through open source and industrial case studies, we show that the architecture of the target systems can be easily overviewed and that the quality of their packaging designs can be quickly assessed.