Paper Info
Title
Categorizing developer information needs in software ecosystems
Abstract
We present the results of an investigation into the nature of the information needs of software developers who work in projects that are part of larger ecosystems. In an open-question survey we asked framework and library developers about their information needs with respect to both their upstream and downstream projects. We investigated what kind of information is required, why is it necessary, and how the developers obtain this information. The results show that the downstream needs are grouped into three categories roughly corresponding to the different stages in their relation with an upstream: selection, adoption, and co-evolution. The less numerous upstream needs are grouped into two categories: project statistics and code usage. The current practices part of the study shows that to satisfy many of these needs developers use non-specific tools and ad hoc methods. We believe that this is a largely unexplored area of research.
Year
DOI
Venue
2013
10.1145/2501585.2501586
WEA
Keywords
Field
DocType
different stage,code usage,needs developer,downstream project,software ecosystem,downstream need,information need,larger ecosystem,library developer,current practices part,categorizing developer information need,numerous upstream need,grounded theory,knowledge systems
Data science,Grounded theory,Information needs,Software engineering,Computer science,Knowledge-based systems,Software,Program comprehension,Open source software,Upstream and downstream (DNA)
Conference
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
7
0.58
6
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Nicole Haenni1171.19
Mircea Lungu254539.17
Niko Schwarz3394.07
Oscar Nierstrasz42404346.86