Design Pattern Detection and Software Architecture Reconstruction: an Integrated Approach based on Software Micro-structures

In this chapter we present some of the main works related to the activities of design pattern detection and software architecture reconstruction, giving also an overview of the major types of approaches. 2.1. Related works on design pattern detection Many different approaches and tools for design pattern detection (DPD) have been presented in the literature. The approaches differ in the kind of analysis pursued on the subject systems, in the algorithms adopted for pattern detection, in the set of patterns they are able to recognize, and in the analysis results, which may differ from one tool to another even while considering the same subject system. Section 2.1.1 considers and discusses different possible approaches and methodologies for DPD, while in Section 2.1.2 we introduce some of the major approaches and tools reported in the literature, giving an organic overview of them. 2.1.1. Categorizations of approaches and methodologies for design pattern detection The detection of design patterns in software systems requires the extraction of meaningful information from these systems and the recognition of patterns starting from this information. Various classifications for design pattern detection solutions and approaches have been presented in the literature, considering various points of view. One major classification consists in categorizing design pattern detection approaches as static, dynamic