# JETracer - A Framework for Java GUI Event Tracing

## TL;DR

JETracer is an open-source framework that enables real-time, network-deployable tracing of GUI events in Java applications using AWT, Swing, or SWT, with good performance demonstrated on popular applications.

## Contribution

It introduces a unified event model and real-time tracing capabilities for Java GUI toolkits, with empirical validation on multiple applications.

## Key findings

- Effective real-time GUI event tracing demonstrated
- Supports deployment over network environments
- Maintains good performance in complex applications

## Abstract

The present paper introduces the open-source Java Event Tracer (JETracer) framework for real-time tracing of GUI events within applications based on the AWT, Swing or SWT graphical toolkits. Our framework provides a common event model for supported toolkits, the possibility of receiving GUI events in real-time, good performance in the case of complex target applications and the possibility of deployment over a network. The present paper provides the rationale for JETracer, presents related research and details its technical implementation. An empirical evaluation where JETracer is used to trace GUI events within five popular, open-source applications is also presented.