Fine-Grained Developer Reification
Stefano Campanella · 2025
To capture the evolution of software projects and simplify their understanding, researchers rely on metadata stored in collaborative tools such as issue trackers and version control systems. While these systems provide comprehensive data about codebases, project management practices, and contributors, developers are often abstracted in a simplistic manner, using only basic identifiers like unique usernames or commit-associated emails. This approach may overlook crucial aspects of developers' activities, potentially leading to findings based on incomplete or inconsistent data.