More Effective Software Repository Mining

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new interface leveraging the World of Code system to improve sampling and analysis of software repositories, aiming to enhance data validity and research generalizability.

Contribution

It presents a resource that simplifies data sampling and retrieval for Mining Software Repository researchers, addressing current sampling and data completeness issues.

Findings

Enhanced data sampling accessibility using the World of Code

Improved validity and completeness of repository data

Facilitated more representative software repository studies

Abstract

Background: Data mining and analyzing of public Git software repositories is a growing research field. The tools used for studies that investigate a single project or a group of projects have been refined, but it is not clear whether the results obtained on such ``convenience samples'' generalize. Aims: This paper aims to elucidate the difficulties faced by researchers who would like to ascertain the generalizability of their findings by introducing an interface that addresses the issues with obtaining representative samples. Results: To do that we explore how to exploit the World of Code system to make software repository sampling and analysis much more accessible. Specifically, we present a resource for Mining Software Repository researchers that is intended to simplify data sampling and retrieval workflow and, through that, increase the validity and completeness of data. Conclusions: This system has the potential to provide researchers a resource that greatly eases the difficulty of data retrieval and addresses many of the currently standing issues with data sampling.