A Replicated Experiment on the Effectiveness of Test-First Development
A Replicated Experiment on the Effectiveness of Test-First Development
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DOI：
10.1109/esem.2013.15
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发表时间：
2013-12
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
D. Fucci;Burak Turhan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
D. Fucci;Burak Turhan
背景资料：测试优先开发（TF）被认为是一种开发实践，可以提高软件产品的质量，以及提高开发人员的生产力。通过在相应的产品代码之前实现单元测试，测试本身就是这种改进的主要驱动力。Erdogmus等人在对照实验中研究了TF有效性试验的作用（即原始研究）。目的：我们的目标是研究测试第一（TF）开发对产品质量和开发人员的生产力的影响，特别是测试中发挥的作用it. Method：我们复制了原来的研究的对照实验，通过比较实验组应用TF控制组应用测试最后的方法。然后，我们进行了相关性研究，以了解测试的数量是否是一个很好的预测外部质量和/或生产力。结果如下：Mann-Whitney检验没有显示两组在编写的测试数量（W=114.5，p=0.38），开发人员的生产力（W=90，p=0.82）和外部质量（W=81.55，p=0.53）方面有任何显著差异。此外，虽然测试次数和生产率之间存在显著相关性（斯皮尔曼的ρ = 0.57，p<;0.001），但在外观质量方面没有发现相关性（斯皮尔曼的ρ = 0.17，p=0.18）。结论：我们的结论是，TF既不改善也不恶化的外部质量或生产力相比，最后测试的方法，留下的空间，其他变量影响TF的效果。这一复制部分证实了原始研究的结果。
Background: Test-first development (TF) is regarded as a development practice that can lead to better quality of software products, as well as improved developer productivity. By implementing unit tests before the corresponding production code, the tests themselves are the main driver to such improvements. The role of tests on the effectiveness of TF has been studied in a controlled experiment by Erdogmus et al. (i.e. original study). Aim: Our goal is to examine the impact of test-first (TF) development on product quality and developer productivity, specifically the role that tests play in it. Method: We replicated the original study's controlled experiment by comparing an experimental group applying TF to a control group applying a test-last approach. We then carried out a correlation study in order to understand whether the number of tests is a good predictor for external quality and/or productivity. Results: Mann-Whitney tests did not show any significant difference between the two groups in terms of number of tests written (W=114.5, p=0.38), developers' productivity (W=90, p=0.82) and external quality (W=81.55, p=0.53). In addition, while a significant correlation exists between the number of tests and productivity (Spearman's ρ = 0.57, p<;0.001), none was found in the case of external quality (Spearman's ρ = 0.17, p=0.18). Conclusions: We conclude that TF neither improves nor deteriorates the external quality or the productivity when compared to the test-last approach, leaving room for other variables to impact the effects of TF. This replication has partially confirmed the findings of the original study.