Title
Multiple-parameter coupling metrics for layered component-based software
Abstract
Coupling represents the degree of interdependence between two software components. Understanding software dependency is directly related to improving software understandability, maintainability, and reusability. In this paper, we analyze the difference between component coupling and component dependency, introduce a two-parameter component coupling metric and a three-parameter component dependency metric. An important parameter in both these metrics is coupling distance, which represents the relevance of two coupled components. These metrics are applicable to layered component-based software. These metrics can be used to represent the dependencies induced by all types of software coupling. We show how to determine coupling and dependency of all scales of software components using these metrics. These metrics are then applied to Apache HTTP, an open-source web server. The study shows that coupling distance is related to the number of modifications of a component, which is an important indicator of component fault rate, stability and subsequently, component complexity.
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1007/s11219-008-9052-9
Software Quality Journal
Keywords
Field
DocType
Metrics,Coupling,Coupling distance,Dependency,Component-based software
Component diagram,Coupling,Computer science,Fault rate,Software,Component-based software engineering,Reliability engineering,Reusability,Maintainability,Web server,Distributed computing
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
17
1
0963-9314
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
9
0.53
23
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Liguo Yu128429.33
Kai Chen28727328.76
srini ramaswamy333745.77