What is a Feature, Really? Toward a Unified Understanding Across SE Disciplines

TL;DR

This paper investigates the inconsistent definitions of 'feature' across software engineering disciplines by analyzing open-source projects, aiming to unify understanding and improve project management practices.

Contribution

It introduces an empirical, data-driven approach to analyze feature-related activities in OSS, providing insights to unify feature concepts across disciplines.

Findings

Identified patterns in contributor behavior and feature implementation

Provided insights for better project planning and resource allocation

Outlined a roadmap for unifying feature understanding

Abstract

In software engineering, the concept of a ``feature'' is widely used but inconsistently defined across disciplines such as requirements engineering (RE) and software product lines (SPL). This lack of consistency often results in communication gaps, rework, and inefficiencies in projects. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an empirical, data-driven approach to explore how features are described, implemented, and managed across real-world projects, starting with open-source software (OSS). By analyzing feature-related branches in OSS repositories, we identify patterns in contributor behavior, feature implementation, and project management activities. Our findings provide actionable insights to improve project planning, resource allocation, and team coordination. Additionally, we outline a roadmap to unify the understanding of features across software engineering disciplines. This research aims to bridge gaps between academic inquiry and practical strategies, fostering better feature planning and development workflows in diverse project environments.