# Rename Chains: An Exploratory Study on the Occurrence and Characteristics of Identifiers Undergoing Multiple Renamings

## TL;DR

This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of identifier rename chains in software projects, revealing common patterns and developer behaviors that influence long-term identifier quality.

## Contribution

It provides the first large-scale empirical analysis of rename chains, highlighting their frequency, typical patterns, and developer involvement across multiple projects.

## Key findings

- Rename chains are common in almost all projects.
- Methods tend to have more rename chains than other identifier types.
- Most renames within a chain are performed by the same developer.

## Abstract

Identifier names play a significant role in program comprehension activities, with high-quality names improving developer productivity and system quality. To correct poor-quality names, developers rename identifiers to reflect their intended purpose better. However, renames do not always result in high-quality, long-lasting names; in many cases, developers perform multiple rename operations on the same identifier throughout the system's lifetime. In this paper, we report on a large-scale empirical study that examines the occurrence of identifiers undergoing multiple renames (i.e., rename chains). Our findings show the presence of rename chains in almost every project, with methods typically having more rename chains than other identifier types. Furthermore, it is usually the same developer responsible for creating all renames within a chain, with most names maintaining the same grammatical structure. Understanding rename chains can help us provide stronger advice, and targeted research, on how to craft high-quality, long-lasting identifiers.