Software assessment using metrics: A comparison across large C++ and Java systems

This paper presents an assessment method to evaluate the quality of object oriented software systems. The assessment method is based on source code ab straction, object-oriented metrics and graphical representation. The metric s used and the underlying model representing the software are presented. Th e assessment method experiment is part of an industrial research effort wit h the Bell Canada Quality Engineering and Research Group. It helps evaluato rs assess the quality and risks associated with software by identifying cod e fragments presenting unusual characteristics. The assessment method evalu ates object-oriented software systems at three levels of granularity: syste m level, class level and method level. One large C++ and eight Java softwar e systems, for a total of over one million lines of code, are presented as case studies. A critical analysis of the results is presented comparing the systems and the two languages.