Method, system and program product for detecting deviation from software development best practice resource in a code sharing system

• US 8,356,278 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Drissi, Youssef, Fin, Tong-Haing, Koaakov, Lev, Rodriquez, Juan Leon, Kim, Moon Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Insun
• Application Number:
  US12/556,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

Under the present invention, a best practice violation (BPV) engine resource is first built. This typically occurs by: receiving sets of source code from a plurality of sources; detecting a programming language of each of the sets of source code; extracting code patterns from the sets of source code; defining meta data for each code pattern that indicates a quality thereof, classifying each code pattern; and assigning a rank to each of the code pattern based on it'"'"'s corresponding meta data as well as a skill level and an experience level of the developer thereof. Once the BPV engine resource is built, it will be used to detect best practice violations in other sets of source code.

Claims

1. A system for building a dynamic best practice violation (BPV) engine resource for detecting software development best practice violations, the system comprising:

at least one computing device having a processor and a memory, the memory including;

a code reception system for receiving sets of source code from a plurality of sources;

a language detection system for detecting a programming language of each of the sets of source code;

a pattern extraction system for extracting a plurality of code patterns from the sets of source code;

a code pattern analysis system for defining meta data for each of the plurality of code patterns that indicates a quality of the plurality of code patterns;

a classification and ranking system for classifying and assigning a rank to each of the plurality of code patterns based on the corresponding meta data;

a storage system for storing each of the plurality of code patterns and the assigned ranks in a data structure;

a test reception system for receiving a subsequent set of source code that is developed independently from the at least one code pattern stored in the data structure;

a test extraction system for extracting and classifying a code pattern to be tested from the subsequent set of source code;

a test classification system for classifying the code pattern to be tested;

a matching system for comparing the code pattern to be tested to the plurality of code patterns to determine a closest match to the code pattern to be tested, and for assigning a rank of the closest match to the code pattern to be tested; and

a deviation detection system for detecting a software development best practice violation if the rank assigned to the code pattern to be tested fails to comply with a predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sources comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected in a peer-to-peer network environment, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes is operated by a developer.

3. The system of claim 2, the memory further including a registration system for registering the developers, prior to the receiving step.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the registration system collects contact information, a skill level and an experience level corresponding to the developers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the registration system collects feedback information about each developer from the other developers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rank is further assigned to each of the plurality of code patterns based on a skill level and an experience level of a developer of each of the sets of source code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the meta data for each of the plurality of code patterns identifies the programming language, a list of most used classes, a list of dependencies, a number and a type of objects created and used at run time, and memory usage of each of the plurality of code patterns.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further including a recommendation system for recommending at least one alternative to the code pattern to be tested if the deviation is detected.

9. A best practice violation (BPV) engine for detecting software development best practice violations, comprising:

at least one computing device having a processor and a memory, the memory including;

a test reception system for receiving a first set of source code;

a test extraction system for extracting a code pattern to be tested from the first set of source code;

a test classification system for classifying the code pattern to be tested;

a matching system for comparing the code pattern to be tested to a plurality of code patterns extracted from other sets of source code previously received and analyzed by the BPV engine to determine a closest match to the code pattern to be tested, and for assigning a rank previously assigned to the closest match to the code pattern to be tested; and

a deviation detection system for detecting a software development best practice violation if the rank assigned to the code pattern to be tested fails to comply with a predetermined threshold.

10. The BPV engine of claim 9, the memory further including a recommendation system for recommending at least one alternative to the code pattern to be tested if the deviation is detected.

11. The BPV engine of claim 9, wherein the rank of the closest match is determined based on a quality of the closest match, and a skill level and an experience level of a developer of the closest match.

12. A program product stored on a non-transitory recordable medium for building a dynamic best practice violation (BPV) engine resource for detecting software development best practice violations, which when executed, comprises:

program code for receiving sets of source code from a plurality of sources;

program code for detecting a programming language of each of the sets of source code;

program code for extracting a plurality of code patterns from the sets of source code;

program code for defining meta data for each of the plurality of code patterns that indicates a quality of the plurality of code patterns;

program code for classifying and assigning a rank to each of the plurality of code patterns based on the corresponding meta data;

program code for receiving a subsequent set of source code;

program code for a code pattern to be tested from the subsequent set of source code;

program code for classifying the code pattern to be tested;

program code for comparing the code pattern to be tested to the plurality of code patterns to determine a closest match to the code pattern to be tested, and for assigning a rank of the closest match to the code pattern to be tested; and

program code for detecting a software development best practice violation if the rank assigned to the code pattern to be tested fails to comply with a predetermined threshold.

13. The program product of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sources comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected in a peer-to-peer network environment, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes is operated by a developer.

14. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for registering the developers, prior to the receiving step.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code for registering collects contact information, a skill level and an experience level corresponding to the developers.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code for registering collects feedback information about each developer from the other developers.

17. The program product of claim 12, wherein the rank is further assigned to each of the plurality of code patterns based on a skill level and an experience level of a developer of each of the sets of source code.

18. The program product of claim 12, wherein the meta data for each of the plurality of code patterns identifies the programming language, a list of most used classes, a list of dependencies, a number and a type of objects created and used at run time, and memory usage of each of the plurality of code patterns.

19. The program product of claim 12, further comprising program code for recommending at least one alternative to the code pattern to be tested if the deviation is detected.

20. A best practice violation (BPV) engine stored on a non-transitory recordable medium for detecting software development best practice violations, which when executed, comprises:

program code for receiving a first set of source code;

program code for extracting a code pattern to be tested from the first set of source code;

program code for classifying the code pattern to be tested;

program code for comparing the code pattern to be tested to a plurality of code patterns extracted from other sets of source code previously received and analyzed by the BPV engine to determine a closest match to the code pattern to be tested, and for assigning a rank previously assigned to the closest match to the code pattern to be tested; and

program code for detecting a software development best practice violation if the rank assigned to the code pattern to be tested fails to comply with a predetermined threshold.

21. The BPV engine of claim 20, further comprising program code for recommending at least one alternative to the code pattern to be tested if the deviation is detected.

22. The BPV engine of claim 20, wherein the rank of the closest match is determined based on a quality of the closest match, and a skill level and an experience level of a developer of the closest match.