An information retrieval approach for automatically constructing software libraries

Author

Maarek, Yoëlle S. ; Berry, Daniel M. ; Kaiser, Gail E.

Author_Institution

IBM Thomas J. Watson Res. Center, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA

Volume

17

Issue

8

fYear

1991

fDate

8/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

800

Lastpage

813

Abstract

A technology for automatically assembling large software libraries which promote software reuse by helping the user locate the components closest to her/his needs is described. Software libraries are automatically assembled from a set of unorganized components by using information retrieval techniques. The construction of the library is done in two steps. First, attributes are automatically extracted from natural language documentation by using an indexing scheme based on the notions of lexical affinities and quantity of information. Then a hierarchy for browsing is automatically generated using a clustering technique which draws only on the information provided by the attributes. Due to the free-text indexing scheme, tools following this approach can accept free-style natural language queries

Keywords

automatic programming; information retrieval systems; natural languages; software reusability; subroutines; attributes; browsing; clustering technique; free-style natural language queries; free-text indexing scheme; indexing scheme; information retrieval approach; large software libraries; lexical affinities; natural language documentation; software reuse; Assembly; Computer science; Data mining; Documentation; Indexing; Information retrieval; Natural languages; Productivity; Programming profession; Software libraries;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Software Engineering, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0098-5589

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/32.83915

Filename

83915