An inclusive survey on automation of refactoring: challenges and opportunities

Divya Rajput () and Anuradha Chug ()
Additional contact information
Divya Rajput: University School of Information Communication & Technology, Guru Gobind Singh, Indraprastha University
Anuradha Chug: University School of Information Communication & Technology, Guru Gobind Singh, Indraprastha University

International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, 2025, vol. 16, issue 12, No 16, 4106-4130

Abstract: Abstract Refactoring is a methodical procedure that enhances the internal code structure while maintaining its external behaviour. It transforms complex code into clean, readable, simplified, and workable code(s). Researchers at various levels and stages have formulated several methods for automatic refactoring to reduce the time and effort spent improving software. The key objective of the subject paper is to provide a comprehensive and narrative analysis of the various techniques used in the Automation of the Refactoring process. Using different phases, cumulative analysis, and identifying several quality measures, only 61 studies have been shortlisted to be deeply analysed and reviewed in this study. The literature from earlier polls conducted in the past ten years has also been examined. This work presents the detailed schema, history, parameters, techniques, and future developments of refactoring automation. The findings indicate that while many studies concentrate on class and method refactoring, a few research projects emphasise code and packaged refactoring. Search-based and Machine Learning (ML) refactoring is highly popular and used in the automation of refactoring.

Keywords: Search-based; Machine learning; Refactoring; Metrics; Automatic refactoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13198-025-02914-1 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ijsaem:v:16:y:2025:i:12:d:10.1007_s13198-025-02914-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/engineering/journal/13198

DOI: 10.1007/s13198-025-02914-1

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management is currently edited by P.K. Kapur, A.K. Verma and U. Kumar

More articles in International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management from Springer, The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().