[论文解读] What leads developers towards the choice of a JavaScript framework

Amantia Pano, Daniel Graziotin+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|May 13, 2016

Software Engineering Techniques and Practices参考文献 9被引用 4

一句话总结

本研究采用质性扎根理论方法，探究人类在选择JavaScript框架（JSF）时的决策过程，识别出开发者、团队、团队负责人及客户四类决策者角色所关注的关键因素——可用性、成本、效率与功能特性。所提出的模型为Web开发者及JSF设计者提供了实用的指导建议。

ABSTRACT

Context: The increasing popularity of JavaScript (JS) has lead to a variety of frameworks that aim to help developers to address programming tasks. However, the number of JS Frameworks (JSF) has risen rapidly to thousands and more. It is difficult for practitioners to identify the frameworks that best fit to their needs and to develop new frameworks that fit such needs. Existing research has focused in proposing software metrics for the frameworks, which do not carry a high value to practitioners. While benchmarks, technical reports, and experts' opinions are available, they suffer the same issue that they do not carry much value. In particular, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the processes and reasons that drive developers towards the choice. Objective: This paper explores the human aspects of software development behind the decision-making process that leads to a choice of a JSF. Method: We conducted a qualitative interpretive study, following the grounded theory data analysis methodology. We interviewed 18 participants who are decision makers in their companies or entrepreneurs, or are able to motivate the JSF decision-making process. Results: We offer a model of factors that are desirable to be found in a JSF and a representation of the decision makers involved in the frameworks selection. The factors are usability (attractiveness, learnability, understandability), cost, efficiency (performance, size), and functionality (automatisation, extensibility, flexibility, isolation, modularity, suitability, updated). These factors are evaluated by a combination of four possible decision makers, which are customer, developer, team, and team leader. Conclusion: Our model contributes to the body of knowledge related to the decision-making process when selecting a JSF. As a practical implication, we believe that our model is useful for (1) Web developers and (2) JSF developers.

研究动机与目标

• 理解现实开发环境中影响JavaScript框架（JSF）选择的人因与组织因素。
• 弥补现有研究的不足，即聚焦于缺乏实际开发价值的技术指标与基准测试。
• 探索超越技术基准的决策过程，强调参与JSF选择的各利益相关方的角色与优先事项。
• 构建一个模型，捕捉框架特性与决策者角色在JSF采纳过程中相互作用的机制。

提出的方法

• 采用扎根理论方法，开展质性诠释性研究，分析JSF选型的决策过程。
• 访谈了18名在其组织中具有决策权的人员，或对JSF采纳具有影响力的创业者。
• 通过访谈转录稿的迭代编码与主题分析，识别出影响JSF选型的重复性主题与因素。
• 将识别出的因素归类为四个核心维度：可用性、成本、效率与功能特性。
• 将每个因素映射至四类决策者角色：客户、开发者、团队与团队负责人。
• 构建一个综合模型，展示不同利益相关方在选型过程中如何评估JSF的特性。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 哪些因素影响开发者与组织在选择JavaScript框架时的决策？
• RQ2 不同决策者角色（如客户、开发者、团队负责人）如何评估相同的JSF特性？
• RQ3 在JSF选型中，可用性、成本、效率与功能特性的相对权重或优先级如何？
• RQ4 除技术基准外，人为与组织因素如何塑造JSF选型过程？

主要发现

• 选择JavaScript框架的决策过程由四个核心因素共同驱动：可用性、成本、效率与功能特性。
• 可用性涵盖外观吸引力、易学性与可理解性，最受开发者与团队负责人重视。
• 成本考量包括许可、维护与长期可持续性，主要由客户与团队负责人评估。
• 效率因素如性能与框架大小，对关注运行时优化的开发者与团队至关重要。
• 功能特性如模块化、可扩展性与适用性，不同角色的评估方式各异，团队负责人尤为关注长期可维护性。
• 该模型表明，单一决策者不会统一评估所有因素，且基于利益相关方角色会产生不同的权衡取舍。