Fuzzy based component reusability evaluation approach to support component based software development

Abstract

One of the contributions of Component Based Software Development (CBSD) is the reuse of software components across multiple systems by software developers. However, the developers often face a difficulty to determine the reusability of the components during the component selection process. Similarly, the component developers also have a problem to measure the component reusability during component development. Nowadays, even though many studies have been conducted in this field, which the researchers suggested many approaches with metrics but they still lack in empirical confirmation and evidences. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate and develop the component reusability evaluation approach to support CBSD. The proposed approach, which is called Component Reusability Evaluation Approach (CREA), is supported by the developed automated tool (CREATool) that may automate the reusability evaluation. CREA is then evaluated by applying five Java component in this approach and CREATool to the selected software components. The results from the application approach and then validated with results from the controlled experiment using statistical analysis. The results indicated that CREA able to provide an acceptable reusability measure, which it is confirmed by similarity results between evaluation using statistical analysis through the controlled experiment and by applying the CREATool. It shows that the proposed approach could be used as an alternative approach in component reusability evaluation. Although the developed approach are not intended to make a holistic and an ultimate decision whether the components can be reused or not, but it is useful enough to be considered as a guide for both component users and developers in making decisions related to reusable components.