Understanding and supporting source code evolution

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Improving the ability of programmers to make changes to source code is the long-term goal of my research program. Source code needs to be changed for a number of different reasons. For example, a program already in use (possibly first developed many year earlier) may need to be changed to accommodate new business requirements or a changing execution environment. Even creating new programs can be seen as an iterative process of making changes to the code base, beginning with a very simple version of the program. In addition, both new and existing programs often need to have flaws (i.e., "bugs") corrected as they are discovered. Some source code changes may be small with only local effect; other changes may be far reaching involving significant structural modifications. Despite existing work in this area, performing change tasks remains difficult for programmers.