An Empirical Study on Package-Level Deprecation in Python Ecosystem

TL;DR

This empirical study investigates current package deprecation practices in the Python ecosystem, revealing gaps between developer intentions and user needs, and highlighting the necessity for improved deprecation mechanisms to ensure package sustainability and security.

Contribution

The paper provides an empirical analysis of Python package deprecation practices, identifying challenges and user expectations to inform better deprecation mechanisms.

Findings

75.4% of inactive package developers do not plan to deprecate packages.

89.5% of users want to be notified about deprecation.

Many deprecated packages lack available alternatives.

Abstract

Open-source software (OSS) plays a crucial role in modern software development. Utilizing OSS code can greatly accelerate software development, reduce redundancy, and enhance reliability. Python, a widely adopted programming language, is renowned for its extensive and diverse third-party package ecosystem. However, a significant number of OSS packages within the Python ecosystem are in poor maintenance, leading to potential risks in functionality and security. Consequently, it is essential to establish a deprecation mechanism to assist package developers and users in managing packages effectively. To facilitate the establishment of the package-level deprecation mechanism, this paper presents a mixed-method empirical study, including data analysis and surveys. We investigate the current practices of announcing, receiving, and handling package-level deprecation in the Python ecosystem. We also assess the benefits of having deprecation announcements for inactively maintained packages. Furthermore, we investigate the challenges faced by package developers and users and their expectations for future deprecation practices. Our findings reveal that 75.4% of inactive package developers have no intention of releasing deprecation declarations for various reasons, while 89.5% of users express a desire to be notified about the deprecation, highlighting a gap between developers and users; in many cases, no alternative solutions are available when deprecation occurs, emphasizing the need to explore practical approaches that enable seamless package handover and require less maintenance effort. Our work aims to enhance the understanding of existing package-level deprecation patterns within the Python OSS realm and facilitate the development of deprecation practices for the Python community in the future.