Using Grammar Patterns to Interpret Test Method Name Evolution
This addresses maintenance challenges for software developers, but it is incremental as it builds on existing naming analysis techniques.
The paper tackles the problem of inconsistent and low-quality test method names in software development by using grammar patterns to understand naming practices, with the goal of supporting an automated tool for maintenance.
It is good practice to name test methods such that they are comprehensible to developers; they must be written in such a way that their purpose and functionality are clear to those who will maintain them. Unfortunately, there is little automated support for writing or maintaining the names of test methods. This can lead to inconsistent and low-quality test names and increase the maintenance cost of supporting these methods. Due to this risk, it is essential to help developers in maintaining their test method names over time. In this paper, we use grammar patterns, and how they relate to test method behavior, to understand test naming practices. This data will be used to support an automated tool for maintaining test names.