An entropy-based complexity measure for object-oriented designs

Abstract

The use of entropy as a measure of information content has led to its use in measuring the code complexity of functionally developed software products; however, no similar capability exists for evaluating complexities of object‐oriented systems using entropy. In this paper a new metric based on entropy as a complexity measure for object‐oriented classes is defined and validated using several large commercial object‐oriented projects. The metric is computed using information available in class definitions. The new complexity measure of classes is correlated with traditional complexity measures such as McCabe's cyclomatic metric and the number‐of‐defects metric, both of which were evaluated from the implementation of the methods of the classes. The correlation study used the final versions of the class definitions. The high degree of positive correlation between the entropy‐based class definition measure and the traditional measures of class implementation complexity verify that the new entropy measure computed from class definitions can be used as a predictive measure for class implementation complexities provided the class definitions do not change significantly during the implementation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Assessing the Bug-Prediction with Re-Usability Based Package Organization for Object Oriented Software Systems

“…There have been on-going and continuous attempts to redefine the cohesion metrics with broader scope by bringing into consideration collaborating relationships of elements outside a single component. Counsell et al [15] mathematically analyzed traditional definition proposed in [16]. Result of this study was useful enough to understand behavior of class cohesion from the point of view of distance between the elements and depth of inheritance in software system.…”

Measuring Code Complexity in Projects Designed with Aspect/J

“…The work of Bansiya and Davis (Bansiya, Davis, & Etzkorn, 1999) introduces a similar complexity measure -Class Definition Entropy (CDE ) -r eplacing the operators of Harrison with name strings used in a class. The assumption that all name strings represent approximately equal information is related to the possible error insertion by misusing the string.…”

Comments on ‘A cohesion measure for object‐oriented classes’ by Heung Seok Chae, Yong Rae Kwon and Doo Hwan Bae (Softw. Pract. Exper. 2000; 30:1405–1431)

“…H. S. Chae's class-cohesion measure considers not only the number of interactions, but also the patterns of the interactions among the constitute members of a class, which overcomes the limitations of previous class-cohesion measures [3][4][5][6][7]. It, however, only considers the patterns of interactions partly, and therefore might cause the measuring results inconsistent with intuition in some cases in the following aspects.…”