Active files as a measure of software maintainability
Lukas Schulte, Hitesh Sajnani, Jacek Czerwonka · 2014
In this paper, we explore the set of source files which are changed unusually often. We define these files as active files. Although discovery of active files relies only on version history and defect classification, the simple concept of active files can deliver key insights into software development activities. Active files can help focus code reviews, implement targeted testing, show areas for potential merge conflicts and identify areas that are central for program comprehension.