On the Empirical Evidence of Microservice Logical Coupling. A Registered Report

TL;DR

This study aims to empirically validate the Microservice Logical Coupling (MLC) metric by analyzing open source microservice systems, providing evidence of its effectiveness in evaluating service interactions.

Contribution

It proposes an empirical validation methodology for the MLC metric, enhancing understanding of logical coupling in microservice architectures.

Findings

Empirical evidence supporting MLC validity

Methodology for analyzing microservice coupling

Insights into microservice interaction patterns

Abstract

[Context] Coupling is a widely discussed metric by software engineers while developing complex software systems, often referred to as a crucial factor and symptom of a poor or good design. Nevertheless, measuring the logical coupling among microservices and analyzing the interactions between services is non-trivial because it demands runtime information in the form of log files, which are not always accessible. [Objective and Method] In this work, we propose the design of a study aimed at empirically validating the Microservice Logical Coupling (MLC) metric presented in our previous study. In particular, we plan to empirically study Open Source Systems (OSS) built using a microservice architecture. [Results] The result of this work aims at corroborating the effectiveness and validity of the MLC metric. Thus, we will gather empirical evidence and develop a methodology to analyze and support the claims regarding the MLC metric. Furthermore, we establish its usefulness in evaluating and understanding the logical coupling among microservices.